Alcohol-related liver disease

For people who have alcohol-related fatty liver disease, abstaining from alcohol is the principal—and usually only—treatment. This is a condition known as esophageal varices, and it can develop in people with alcohol-related hepatitis or cirrhosis. So, if someone drinks too much alcohol, the liver can become damaged by substances produced during the metabolism of that alcohol, the buildup of fats in the liver, and inflammation and fibrosis. When indicated, specific treatments are available that can help people remain abstinent, reduce liver inflammation, and, in the case of liver transplantation, replace the damaged liver. In its advanced stages, alcohol-related liver disease is a serious, life-threatening condition. On average, 1 in 3 people with the most advanced stage of liver disease and cirrhosis are still alive after 2 years.

The Progression of Liver Damage

This second stage is characterized by widespread inflammation and swelling of the liver, leading to the degeneration of liver cells. When consumed, the liver breaks it down into various substances, including acetaldehyde, a highly toxic compound that directly damages liver cells (hepatocytes). This chronic misuse leads to serious and progressive harm to the liver’s structure and function if excessive drinking is not addressed.

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About 90% of heavy drinkers will develop alcoholic fatty liver disease. Early damage to the liver causes fat to deposit onto the liver, resulting in hepatic steatosis, or alcoholic fatty liver disease. If you misuse alcohol, you may have liver damage, even though you have none of the symptoms above.

Advanced symptoms

• Early diagnosis and treatment are key to stopping the progression of liver disease.
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• A blood test may also look for signs of abnormal blood clotting, which can indicate significant liver damage.
• The liver is very resilient and capable of regenerating itself.
• In its advanced stages, alcohol-related liver disease is a serious, life-threatening condition.

The liver can develop new cells, but prolonged alcohol misuse (drinking too much) over many years can reduce its ability to regenerate. If you regularly drink alcohol to excess, tell your GP so they can check if your liver is damaged. This means ARLD is frequently diagnosed during tests for other conditions, or at a stage of advanced liver damage. ARLD doesn’t usually cause any symptoms until the liver has been severely damaged. Alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD) refers to liver damage caused by excess alcohol intake.

See your GP as soon as possible if you have symptoms effects of alcohol on each part of the body of ARLD. If you answer “yes” to one or more of the questions above, you may have an alcohol problem and are advised to see your GP. The provider can counsel you about how much alcohol is safe for you. Talk openly to your provider about your alcohol intake. Cirrhosis further worsens the condition and can lead to serious complications.

It can happen because drinking large amounts of alcohol keeps people from being hungry. People with alcoholic hepatitis often don’t get the nutrients they need from the food they eat. The most common symptom of alcoholic hepatitis is the skin and whites of the eyes turning yellow. Stopping alcohol use is the most important step in treating alcoholic hepatitis along with focusing on nutrition. Alcoholic hepatitis most often occurs in people who have been drinking heavily for many years. If you’re still in the early stages of liver disease, quitting can give your liver a chance to recover and repair the damage.

Doctors may also recommend weight loss and quitting smoking as excess weight and smoking have both demonstrated a role in worsening alcoholic liver disease. For example, stopping drinking once diagnosed with fatty liver disease may be able to reverse the condition within 2–6 weeks. The first step in treating any level of alcoholic liver disease focuses on removing alcohol from the diet. People who drink beer and liquor may be more likely to experience liver disease when compared with those who consume other alcoholic beverages, such as wine.

Esophageal varices

Alcohol may also do more damage to your liver if you have another liver disease at the same time — like hepatitis C. So, your risk is higher if you have alcohol use disorder or engage in routine binge drinking. As fat builds up in your liver, it triggers inflammation (hepatitis), which leads to scarring and, eventually, cirrhosis. After stopping drinking, which is the first step in any treatment of ALD, an assessment will be made as to the extent of the damage and the overall state of the body. Treatment also consists of evaluation for other risk factors that can damage the liver or put the liver at higher risk, such as infection with hepatitis C and metabolic syndrome. In compensated cirrhosis, the liver remains functioning, and many people have no symptoms.

The two diseases together can damage the liver faster and increase the risk of cirrhosis and even liver cancer. Unlike viral hepatitis, such as hepatitis A, B or C, alcoholic hepatitis is not contagious. Cirrhosis is the most advanced stage of alcohol-related liver disease. Alcoholic hepatitis happens when heavy drinking causes harmful changes inside the liver.

Types and symptoms of alcohol-related liver disease

• When this develops, it may be the first time a person is aware they’re damaging their liver through alcohol.
• If you stop drinking alcohol for 2 weeks, your liver should return to normal.
• Heavy drinkers typically get most of their calories from alcohol.
• In end-stage liver failure, a liver transplant may be the only option, reserved for patients who have demonstrated sustained sobriety.
• But understanding how much alcohol you drink helps your provider make the right diagnosis.
• After stopping drinking, which is the first step in any treatment of ALD, an assessment will be made as to the extent of the damage and the overall state of the body.

In some cases, you may be advised to reduce your alcohol intake in a gradual and planned way to help avoid withdrawal problems. This usually takes 3 to 7 days from the time of your last drink. These will be at their worst for the first 48 hours, but should start to improve as your body adjusts to being without alcohol. The doctor will be looking for swollen veins (varices), which are a sign of cirrhosis. A small sample of liver cells is taken and sent to a laboratory to be examined under a microscope.

Diagnosis and Medical Evaluation

They’re often due to restricted blood flow through the portal vein. Not everyone who drinks this much will get the disease, but the chances are much higher. This is called toxic hepatitis, which may result from certain medicines, herbal supplements or poisons. These changes keep the liver from doing its job properly.

How much and how often you drink alcohol are the most important risk factors in developing ALD. You can have liver disease without symptoms. It’s one of the most common causes of chronic liver disease, which can progress to cirrhosis and liver failure. It causes toxic fat to build up in your liver, which leads to inflammation and scarring (cirrhosis).

While viral hepatitis can be spread from person to person, alcoholic hepatitis is strictly related to alcohol use and individual risk factors. For women, having 3 to 4 drinks a day for six months or longer raises the risk of alcoholic hepatitis. Some people have both alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis at the same time. ALD includes several types of liver conditions caused by alcohol, from fat deposits in the liver to severe liver scarring, called cirrhosis.

In addition to asking about symptoms that might indicate ALD, the doctor will ask questions about the patient’s consumption of alcohol. Among other things, the liver produces and secretes bile, a fluid that helps digest fats; metabolizes carbohydrates, fats, and proteins; and produces substances that are essential for blood clotting. In order to understand alcohol’s effect on the liver, it’s helpful to know the role of the liver in overall health. Not smoking and controlling body weight are significant lifestyle changes people can make to further reduce the risk. Those with less severe diseases will survive longer if they abstain from alcohol.

During a liver biopsy, a fine needle is inserted into your body (usually between your ribs). Some scans may also measure the stiffness of the liver, which is a good indication of whether your liver is scarred. Lab Tests Online has more information on liver function tests. A low level of serum albumin suggests your liver isn’t functioning properly. Blood tests can also detect if you have low levels of certain substances, such as a protein called serum albumin, which is made by the liver. Blood tests used to assess the liver are known as liver function tests.

This depends on how well the liver is working. There may be no symptoms, or symptoms may come on slowly. However, women may develop the disease after less exposure to alcohol than men. The disease is most common in people between 40 and 50 years of age. Over time, scarring and cirrhosis can occur. In general, those with mild disease, who have no or few risk factors and complications, and who remain abstinent have better outcomes.