Alcoholic Liver Disease

About:

Over consumption of alcohol can permanently damage the liver.

Globally, alcoholic liver disease attributed for 493300 deaths in 2010. [1]

● Common in people between 40-50 years of age
● Both the sexes are susceptible
● Sometimes hereditary
● Lab tests or imaging are mandatory

Broadly, alcoholic liver disease has 3 stages of liver damage -

● Fatty liver (steatosis)
● Alcoholic hepatitis (inflammation and necrosis)
● Alcoholic liver cirrhosis.

It’s important to note that alcoholic liver disease is a major healthcare concern. It leads to malfunctioning of the liver. The main cause is attributed to chronic heavy intake of alcohol. Alcoholic liver disease can lead to liver cirrhosis which is life threatening.

Symptoms:

Self-diagnosable

Symptoms include loss of energy, poor appetite, weight loss, nausea, belly pain, and small red spider-like blood vessels on the skin.

People may experience
- fluid buildup in the legs (edema) and in the abdomen (ascites)
- yellow skin color, mucous membranes, and jaundiced eyes
- redness on the palms of the hands
- Men (impotence and shrinking of the testicles) and women (breast swelling)
- easy bruising and abnormal bleeding
- confusion or problems in thinking
- pale or clay-colored stools

Treatment:

Self-care: Lifestyle modifications include no alcohol; low-salt healthy diet; and vaccinations for influenza, hepatitis A & B, and pneumococcal pneumonia.

Medications
- diuretics to get rid of fluid buildup
- Vitamin K to prevent excess bleeding
- medicines for mental confusion and infections

Others
- endoscopic treatments for esophageal varices
- removal of fluid from the abdomen
- placement of TIPS to repair blood flow in the liver
- a liver transplant when cirrhosis progresses to the end stage

Specialists: For other kinds, consult a physician or a hepatologist. At mfine we’re here to help
you with different areas of health issues; come on board for a holistic treatment program.