What is the liver disease caused by drinking heavily over many years?

Answer 1

Alcoholic hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. Up to 35 percent of heavy drinkers develop alcoholic hepatitis. Symptoms may include loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and tenderness, fever and jaundice. In its mild form, alcoholic hepatitis can last for years and will cause progressive liver damage. The damage may be reversible if you stop drinking. In its severe form, the disease may occur suddenly, after binge drinking, and it can quickly lead to life-threatening complications.

Alcoholic cirrhosis is the most serious type of alcohol-induced liver disease.Cirrhosis refers to the replacement of normal liver tissue with scar tissue. Between 10 and 20 percent of heavy drinkers develop cirrhosis, usually after 10 or more years of drinking. Symptoms of cirrhosis are similar to those of alcoholic hepatitis. The damage from cirrhosis is not reversible, and it is a life-threatening disease. Your condition may stabilize if you stop drinking.

Many heavy drinkers will progress from fatty liver to alcoholic hepatitis and finally to alcoholic cirrhosis, though the progression may vary from patient to patient. The risk of developing cirrhosis is particularly high for people who drink heavily and have another chronic liver disease such as viral hepatitis C.

source:

http://www.liverfoundation.org/education/info/alcohol/

Answer 2

Liver disease can be caused by alcohol. Usually this type of liver disease is known as "alcoholic liver disease", or when it has progressed to end-stage, "alcoholic cirrhosis". This is a condition whereby the hepatocytes (liver cells) have ended up storing the excessive amounts of sugar consumed (from alcohol). This means that the hepatocytes have "no room left" to perform other liver functions, causing progressive scarring of the liver. The excessive sugars are stored in the liver as fat, which also leads to the term "alcoholic fatty liver disease" (as opposed to "nonalcoholic fatty liver disease", which is the term used for when the disease is diet related (i.e too much fat and sugar in the diet), as opposed to alcohol related).

There is a type of French pate called fois gras, which is the fattened liver of a goose. Essentially the goose's liver, when it is fattened (by force feeding the goose), reflects all the features of "fatty liver disease" in humans.

However not all liver diseases are caused by alcohol. About 1/3 of all adult liver disease cases are alcohol related. The rest can be genetic, autoimmune, viral etc...

Answer 3

Cirrhosis of the liver. That is when alcohol causes scarring of the liver which interferes with its functioning. It causes fluid buildup around the liver, pain, toxic blood chemistries, and eventually death. It is a very tough way to die. Alcoholism is not the only cause. Infectious hepatitis is also a cause. In that case, one or more viruses cause scarring of the liver.

Answer 4

Look under Causes:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirrhosis

Alcohol will elevate the enzyme level in the liver,result in unwell feelings,enlargement of the organ & will caused a severe inflammation

if one's don't stop drinking.

Answer 5

Yes, it is true that Liver disease can be caused because of drinking heavily. Liver become fatty and it can also lead to liver cirrhosis. The only reason is not alcohol but the daily routine diet too because people usually eat junk food and fried foods, it is also the reason of liver disease. If a person has liver disease and still drinking heavily, it can lead to liver damage. Drinking is the major cause of liver problems and the person need to avoid drinking to live a healthy lifestyle. BLK Hospital is the best for the treatment for liver disease but if it diagnose it early stage it can be better for patient otherwise situation can be critical sometimes.

Answer 6

Abusing alcohol constantly for decades is one of the causes of cirrhosis of the liver.

Answer 7

Cirrhosis can sometimes result from decades of heavy abusive drinking.

Answer 8

Cirrhosis is the liver disease that can be caused by alcohol.

Answer 9

Cirrhosis

Answer 10

hepatitis.