Oak Valley Health’s patient education pages share the skills, knowledge, and habits patients and families need to know to cope with a daily health issue. We hope this information can influence patient behaviour to improve health outcomes and provide you with a sense of control and autonomy.
Learn more about the risks, causes, and treatment of alcoholic liver disease
Alcoholic liver disease is liver damage that is caused due to excessive alcohol consumption over a long period of time. This may lead to the development of fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis or cirrhosis.
Your liver digests fat from the food you eat. When you consume more fat and sugar than your body requires, your liver stores the excess fat.
Alcoholic hepatitis is a type of liver inflammation caused by consuming a large amount of alcohol over a long period of time. The liver’s capacity to function normally is reduced due to inflammation.
Cirrhosis causes scar tissue to replace healthy liver cells. This restricts blood from flowing through the liver, making it difficult for your liver to function.
Your liver helps remove toxins such as alcohol from your blood.
Only a specific amount of alcohol can be eliminated by your liver in a certain amount of time
If you consume more alcohol than your liver can handle, the excess alcohol will eventually damage your liver cells
Severe scarring of the liver can result in liver cancer or death
Family history of alcoholic liver disease
Alcohol abuse
Overweight or obese
Type 2 diabetes
A pre-existing liver condition
Stop drinking alcohol
Take medicine to decrease withdrawal symptoms
Join a support group
Unless your doctor says it is safe, do not take alcohol-containing medications or consume alcohol-containing foods
Follow instructions from your doctor about a healthy diet and lifestyle
Maintain all follow-up appointments as advised by your doctor
