Buddhism and Alcohol Recovery - Alcoholic liver disease

Causes

Alcoholic liver disease occurs after years of heavy drinking. Over time, scarring and cirrhosis can occur. Cirrhosis is the final phase of alcoholic liver disease.

Alcoholic liver disease does not occur in all heavy drinkers. The chances of getting liver disease go up the longer you have been drinking and more alcohol you consume. You do not have to get drunk for the disease to happen.

The disease seems to be more common in some families. Women may be more likely to have this problem than men.

Symptoms

There may be no symptoms, or symptoms may come on slowly, depending on how well the liver is working. Symptoms tend to be worse after a period of heavy drinking.

Early symptoms include:

• Fatigue and loss of energy
• Poor appetite and weight loss
• Nausea or belly pain
• Small, red spider-like blood vessels on the skin

As liver function worsens, symptoms may include:

• Fluid buildup of the legs (edema) and in the abdomen (ascites)
• Yellow color in the skin, mucous membranes, or eyes (jaundice)
• Redness on the palms of the hands
• In men, impotence, shrinking of the testicles, and breast swelling
• Easy bruising and abnormal bleeding
• Confusion or problems thinking
• Pale or clay-colored stools

Exams and Tests

Your health care provider will do a physical exam to look for:

• An enlarged liver or spleen
• Excess breast tissue
• Swollen abdomen, as a result of too much fluid
• Reddened palms
• Red spider-like blood vessels on the skin
• Small testicles
• Widened veins in the abdomen wall
• Yellow eyes or skin (jaundice)

Tests you may have include:

• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Liver biopsy
• Liver function tests
• Coagulation studies

Tests to rule out other diseases include:

• Abdominal CT scan
• Blood tests for other causes of liver disease
• Ultrasound of the abdomen

Treatment

LIFESTYLE CHANGES

Some things you can do to help take care of your liver disease are:

• Drink less alcohol.
• Eat a healthy diet that is low in salt.
• Get vaccinated for diseases such as influenza, hepatitis A and hepatitis B, and pneumococcal pneumonia.
• Talk to your doctor about all medicines you take, including herbs and supplements and over-the-counter medicines.

MEDICINES FROM YOUR DOCTOR

• "Water pills" (diuretics) to get rid of fluid build-up
• Vitamin K or blood products to prevent excess bleeding
• Medicines for mental confusion
• Antibiotics for infections

OTHER TREATMENTS

• Endoscopic treatments for enlarged veins in the throat (bleeding varices)
• Removal of fluid from the abdomen (paracentesis)
• Placement of a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) to repair blood flow in the liver

When cirrhosis progresses to end-stage liver disease, a liver transplant may be needed.