A 4 week study of medical inpatients was performed to look at prevalence of alcohol-related problems in three different sub-specialties. Alcohol-related conditions accounted for 51% of gastroenterology inpatients, and 65% of these patients had alcoholic liver disease. In contrast, the cardiologists and respiratory physicians managed for less alcohol-related pathology, accounting for only 6% of inpatients in each specialty. Alcohol-related conditions were three times commoner in men. Patients admitted due to alcohol had longer lengths of stay, and experienced higher morbidity and mortality. These findings have important implications for health care planning and provision. They highlight a need for specialist training to be given to staff who deal with alcohol-related conditions on a daily basis. There is also a significant public health issue raised by these results regarding public attitudes in Scotland towards alcohol abuse and the increasing burden it is placing on the NHS.