Final answer:
A healthcare professional would encourage a person who drinks several 6-packs of beer a week to get hepatic function testing to assess potential liver damage caused by chronic alcohol consumption.option a is correct.
Step-by-step explanation:
In examining the effects of chronic alcohol consumption, a healthcare professional would likely encourage assessment of hepatic function. This is because the liver plays a crucial role in metabolizing alcohol and managing the toxins associated with it. Prolonged alcohol use can result in abnormal liver enzyme levels, which can be detected through blood tests that measure levels of alkaline phosphatase, alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), as well as direct and total bilirubin, among others. These tests may indicate issues such as liver inflammation or damage, cirrhosis, or other forms of liver disease that are frequently associated with alcohol abuse.
While renal function is also impacted by alcohol consumption, testing this would typically follow the liver function tests, as kidney dysfunction can sometimes be secondary to liver damage. Changes in kidney function due to alcohol consumption might include abnormal blood ion concentration and acid-base balance, which can be significant if the individual develops co-occurring liver and kidney dysfunction, a common situation among alcoholics.
Central nervous system function could also be affected by alcohol use, as evidenced by symptoms like visual disturbances and impaired coordination. However, for someone who is known to consume several 6-packs of beer a week, primary testing to assess the damage caused by alcohol would still focus on hepatic function before considering other organ systems.