Article summary

Topic

  • Liver diseases & symptoms

Alcohol is a psychoactive substance known to humans for centuries. Its consumption is a significant element of social life, but unfortunately has a very negative effect on our health. It is estimated that in Poland 4 million persons drink alcohol in a risky and harmful manner. The scale of alcoholism is constantly increasing. There are about 860,000 alcohol addicts in Poland.1 As the organ that metabolises alcohol in 90%, the liver is at the greatest risk of negative effects of its consumption.2

Alcohol remains a serious problem causing significant damage to this organ

What is the cause of alcoholic liver disease?

The main cause of the development of alcoholic liver disease is excessive alcohol consumption. It leads to structural abnormalities of hepatic parenchyma and liver dysfunction. 2 Drinking more than 80 g of ethanol daily (equivalent to 2 litres of beer, 1 litre of wine or 5–6 cocktail glasses) significantly increases the risk of alcoholic liver disease.3

What are the symptoms of alcoholic liver injury?2

Alcoholic liver injury gives different symptoms, depending on the stage of damage to this organ. There are 3 stages of alcoholic liver injury: alcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis. 2

Symptoms of alcoholic fatty liver disease 2

Alcoholic fatty liver disease is mostly asymptomatic. Sometimes the patients report rather unspecific symptoms such as:

weakness

fatigue

lack of appetite

Symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis2

The following symptoms may occur in the case of more advanced changes in liver structure and function caused by alcohol consumption:

  • nausea,
  • vomiting,
  • abdominal pain,
  • fever,
  • skin changes.

Alcoholic cirrhosis is manifested as oedema, ascites, weight loss, jaundice and fever.

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How is alcoholic liver disease diagnosed?3

Confirmation of alcohol abuse by the patient is of key importance in the diagnosis of alcoholic liver disease. Furthermore, the doctor takes into account the characteristic clinical presentation and laboratory test results:

  • AUDIT (Alcohol Use Disorder Identification Test) – it is a simple and effective screening testing method that helps determine the probability of alcohol problems,
  • blood tests – liver enzyme levels,
  • imaging examination of the liver – ultrasound scan.

 

How is alcoholic liver disease treated?2

At each stage of alcoholic liver disease, the essential element of treatment is complete alcohol abstinence, i.e. abstaining from drinking any amounts of alcohol, no matter how small. Other treatment methods are:

How to prevent alcoholic liver disease?3

To prevent alcoholic liver diseases, you should restrict alcohol consumption and care about healthy nutrition, in accordance with the principles of well-balanced diet.

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