Alcoholic liver disease: MedlinePlus Medical Encyclopedia

Having hepatitis C increases the risk, and a person who consumes alcohol regularly and has had any type of hepatitis faces a higher chance of developing liver disease. Drinking a large volume of alcohol can cause fatty acids to collect in the liver. Sometimes, heavy drinking over a short period, even less than a week, can cause this. Having hepatitis C or other liver diseases with heavy alcohol use can rapidly increase the development of cirrhosis. To diagnose ALD, a healthcare provider will assess alcohol use, ask about symptoms, and conduct several tests.

• Getting adequate proteins, calories, and nutrients can alleviate symptoms, improve quality of life, and decrease mortality.
• If you have cirrhosis, the damage to your liver is no longer reversible.
• All liver transplant units require people with ARLD to not drink alcohol while awaiting the transplant, and for the rest of their life.
• Usually, the liver helps remove bilirubin from the blood and sends it out through the bile ducts into the intestines.
• Cirrhosis is the most advanced stage of alcohol-related liver disease.

While treating ALD it is important not only to abstain from alcohol but also become conscious of other factors that could affect the liver. It does not take into account factors such as body composition, ethnicity, sex, race, and age. But support, advice and medical treatment may be available through local alcohol addiction support services.

Why did the name change from alcoholic liver disease to alcohol-associated liver disease?

Some blood alcohol biomarkers can show heavy alcohol use up to months after you use alcohol. Most people will not experience symptoms in the early stages of ALD. Some may experience mild pain in the upper right side of the abdomen. Alcoholic liver disease often begins without any symptoms. In these cases, treatment focuses on preventing further damage and treating other factors that can make the disease worse, such as infection and malnourishment. The prognosis for liver failure is poor and requires immediate treatment, often in the intensive care unit.

Alcoholic hepatitis is a type of liver damage and swelling caused by drinking alcohol. This swelling, called inflammation, damages liver cells. Alcoholic hepatitis most often occurs in people who have been drinking heavily for many years. Although stopping drinking alcohol is the most effective treatment for alcoholic liver disease, it is not a complete cure.

What causes alcohol-associated liver disease?

Alcoholic fatty liver disease appears early on as fat deposits accumulate in the liver. People who consume four to five standard drinks per day over decades can develop fatty liver disease. When cirrhosis progresses to end-stage liver disease, a liver transplant may be needed. Liver transplantation for alcoholic liver disease is only considered in people who have completely avoided alcohol for 6 months.

Alcoholic hepatitis may be the first sign that cirrhosis has already developed. These changes keep the liver from doing its job properly. Alcoholic hepatitis happens when heavy drinking causes harmful changes inside the liver. When the liver breaks down alcohol, it makes toxic substances that damage liver cells. These toxins also cause stress and swelling, called inflammation, in the liver. Stopping alcohol use is the most important step in treating alcoholic hepatitis along with focusing on nutrition.

General Health

Getting adequate proteins, calories, and nutrients can alleviate symptoms, improve quality of life, and decrease mortality. In general, the more severe the ALD, the more malnourished someone becomes. ALD that has progressed can affect other parts of the body. See our alcohol advice pages for more information and support. A unit of alcohol is equal to about half a pint of normal-strength lager or a pub measure (25ml) of spirits. There are 3 main stages of ARLD, although there’s often an overlap between each stage.

How to Support Liver Function

It can also occur acutely during periods of binge drinking. The main risk of alcoholic hepatitis comes from how much and how long a person drinks. This is the same as a 12-ounce beer, a 5-ounce glass of wine or a 1.5-ounce shot of liquor. For women, having 3 to 4 drinks a day for six months or longer raises the risk of alcoholic hepatitis.

• They’re often due to restricted blood flow through the portal vein.
• Many people with alcoholic liver disease are deficient in B vitamins, zinc and vitamin D and it may become necessary to take supplements.
• People with severe alcohol dependency may stay at an inpatient rehabilitation facility for closer monitoring.
• Cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) and medications called benzodiazepines can ease withdrawal symptoms in a person with alcohol dependency.
• As alcoholic hepatitis progresses, liver cells can die, bile can build up, and healthy tissue can be replaced by scar tissue, a condition called fibrosis in the early stages.

Other medications, such as pentoxifylline, may also be used. Cirrhosis further worsens the condition and can lead to serious complications. In case of severe damage, the liver cannot heal or return to normal function. All liver transplant units require people with ARLD to not drink alcohol while awaiting the transplant, and for the rest of their life. You’ll only be considered for a liver transplant if you have developed complications of cirrhosis despite having stopped drinking. The liver can develop new cells, but prolonged alcohol misuse (drinking too much) over many years can reduce its ability to regenerate.

Continuing to drink alcohol after being diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis greatly increases the risk of liver failure and death. If the alcoholic liver disease is not treated, it can progress to later stages which include alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis, a scarring of the liver. It’s generally not reversible, but stopping drinking alcohol immediately can prevent further damage and significantly increase your life expectancy. This is called alcoholic fatty liver disease, and is the first stage of ARLD. On average, 1 in 3 people with the most advanced stage of liver disease and cirrhosis are still Alcoholic Liver Disease alive after 2 years. When the body can compensate and manage cirrhosis, the typical lifespan is 6–12 years.

Untreated Alcoholic Liver Disease Complications

People with severe alcohol dependency may stay at an inpatient rehabilitation facility for closer monitoring. 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. Cleveland Clinic providers compassionately diagnose and treat all liver diseases using advanced therapies backed by the latest research. That means there’s too much scarring in your liver to undo. Quitting alcohol can keep it from getting worse, but it won’t get better without a liver transplant. A liver transplant may become necessary in end-stage ALD.

Preventing alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD)

Females who consume high amounts of alcohol and also carry excess body weight have a greater chance of developing chronic liver disease. However, having obesity is also a risk factor for males. Several factors increase the risk of alcoholic liver disease. Lifelong abstinence can improve liver function, but the permanent and severe damage from cirrhosis might mean that the person needs a liver transplant to survive.

Cirrhosis is the final phase of alcoholic liver disease. This can help to reverse some early stages of liver disease. For example, stopping drinking once diagnosed with fatty liver disease may be able to reverse the condition within 2–6 weeks. The two diseases together can damage the liver faster and increase the risk of cirrhosis and even liver cancer. If you have both, it’s very important to stop drinking alcohol and get treatment for hepatitis C, which may help improve your liver health and chances of recovery.

A healthcare provider will examine you and ask about your health history. But understanding how much alcohol you drink helps your provider make the right diagnosis. When too much of your liver tissue is damaged, your liver functions start to fail (liver failure). In compensated cirrhosis, the liver remains functioning, and many people have no symptoms. The median life expectancy from this point is 10 to 12 years. Cirrhosis is considered end stage liver disease as it cannot be reversed and can lead to liver failure.

Alcoholic cirrhosis is a progression of ALD in which scarring in the liver makes it difficult for that organ to function properly. Symptoms include weight loss, fatigue, muscle cramps, easy bruising, and jaundice. Alcoholic hepatitis occurs when the liver becomes damaged and inflamed. Symptoms include fever, jaundice (yellowing of the skin), malnourishment, swelling, and accumulation of fluid around the liver.