The liver is responsible for filtering the toxic substances from the blood, metabolize proteins and produces bile to absorb fat. Cirrhosis is the condition that occurs when the healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue. Along with a number of causes, it can also occur as the result of excess alcohol consumption over several years and is known as alcoholic liver cirrhosis. As the disease progresses, the effective function of the liver becomes impaired. The liver disease associated with the alcohol consumption can occur in three separate stages; the first stage known as ‘fatty liver’ can disappear when people abstain from alcohol consumption, the second stage is alcoholic hepatitis when the liver becomes inflamed and the third stage is cirrhosis.
Causes
The alcohol consumption can damage the liver cells. The liver is responsible for breaking down the alcohol so it can be removed from the body. The liver can become severely damaged when an individual consumes alcohol more than the liver can process. This can develop when individuals drink large quantity of alcohol in short period of time or consume more than the recommended limits of alcohol over several years. In addition to excess consumption of alcohol, other factors that can also increase the risk of developing this condition include being obese, being female as women appear to be more vulnerable than men and the presence of pre-existing liver problems such as hepatitis C.
Symptoms
Most of the affected individuals may not present any symptoms in the initial stage. The liver may continue its limited function in the initial stage of the disease. Symptoms may become evident only when the liver damage has occurred affecting its normal function. Some of the initial symptoms may include feeling sick, diarrhea, loss of appetite, abdominal pain and fatigue. When the liver becomes severely damaged, the symptoms can include jaundice, itchy skin, swelling of the legs and feet, swelling of the abdomen, high fever, hair loss, weight loss, muscle wasting, vomiting blood, the presence of dark stools and confusion.
Diagnosis
The initial stage of cirrhosis may be identified with the routine blood test or checkup. In such cases, additional tests may be necessary to diagnose the condition. This includes liver function tests that determine the level of bilirubin along with certain enzymes. The low level of serum albumin in the blood is also an indication of liver not functioning properly. Additional tests may include MRI, CT scans or a biopsy to determine the extent of liver damage.
Treatment
The treatment of alcohol-related liver disease is to abstain from alcohol and to make healthy lifestyle changes. In the case the individual has the fatty liver disease; the damage can be reversed when alcohol consumption is stopped for at least a couple of weeks. If the progression of the disease is severe such as cirrhosis, the life-long abstinence from alcohol is recommended. The severe alcoholic hepatitis usually requires hospitalization and the individual is treated with corticosteroids to reduce the inflammation of the liver. In the case of an advanced stage of liver failure, a live transplant is the only cure.
References
http://www.nhs.uk/Conditions/Liver_disease_(alcoholic)/Pages/Treatmentpg.aspx