You Are Here » Miscellaneous » Alcoholic Liver Disease » From Steatosis to Cirrhosis
Alcoholic Liver Disease
Contents of this Article
From Steatosis to Cirrhosis
Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD) includes three conditions:
- Fatty liver
- Alcoholic hepatitis
- * Cirrhosis
Fatty Liver
Heavy drinking for as little as a few days can lead to fatty liver, or steatosis - the earliest stage of alcoholic liver disease and the most common alcohol-induced liver disorder. Steatosis is marked by an excessive buildup of fat inside liver cells. This condition can be reversed, however, when drinking stops.
Alcoholic Hepatitis
Drinking heavily for longer periods may lead to a more severe, and potentially fatal condition, alcoholic hepatitis - an inflammation of the liver. Symptoms include:
- Nausea
- Lack of appetite
- Vomiting
- Fever
- Abdominal pain and tenderness
- Jaundice
- And, sometimes, mental confusion
The presence of alcoholic hepatitis is a "red flag" that cirrhosis may soon follow.
Up to 70 percent of all alcoholic hepatitis people eventually may go on to develop cirrhosis.
People with alcoholic hepatitis who stop drinking may have a complete recovery from liver disease, or they still may develop cirrhosis.
Cirrhosis
Scientists believe that if drinking continues, in some people this inflammation eventually leads to alcoholic cirrhosis, in which healthy liver cells are replaced by scar tissue (fibrosis), leaving the liver unable to perform its vital functions.
Liver cirrhosis is a major cause of death in the United States. In 2000, it was the 12th leading cause of death. Cirrhosis mortality rates vary substantially among age groups, being very low among young people but increase considerably in middle age. Cirrhosis is the fourth leading cause of death in people ages 45 to 54.
Other factors besides alcohol also may influence ALD development, including demographic and biological factors such as:
- Ethnic and racial background
- Gender
- Age
- Education
- Income
- Employment
- Family history of drinking problems
Women are at higher risk than men for developing cirrhosis. This higher risk may be the result of differences in the way alcohol is absorbed and broken down.
When a woman drinks, the alcohol in her bloodstream reaches a higher level than a man's even if both are drinking the same amount.
The chemicals involved in breaking down alcohol also differ between men and women. For example, women's stomachs may contain less of a key enzyme (alcohol dehydrogenase) needed for the initial breakdown of alcohol. This means that a woman breaks down alcohol at a slower rate, exposing her liver to higher blood alcohol concentrations for longer periods of time - a situation that is potentially toxic to the liver.
Differences in how a woman's body breaks down and removes alcohol also may be linked to how much and how often she drinks, the fact that estrogen is present in her body, and even her liver size.
Definitions For This Page - In Alphabetical Order
* Cirrhosis
Pronounced - suh-ROH-sis
Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver. Scar tissue forms because of injury or long term disease. More about Cirrhosis
Back To Top
References:
National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA)
January 2005
pubs.niaaa.nih.gov
|