Med. Pro Praxi 2009; 6(3): 144-146

Alcoholic liver disease

doc. MUDr. Radan Brůha CSc, MUDr. Karel Dvořák, MUDr. Jaromír Petrtýl CSc, MUDr. Tomislav Švestka CSc

IV. interní klinika VFN a 1. LF UK, Praha

Chronic alcohol abuse leads to impairment of many organs – most frequent organ involved in chronic alcoholism is liver. Liver disease

mortality in western countries is directly connected with alcohol abuse. The risk of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) increases in individuals

consuming more than 30 g of alcohol per day. ALD could manifested as chronic disease (steatosis, steatohepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis) or

acute disorder (acute alcoholic hepatitis). While steatosis is benign disease, cirrhosis is linked with shortened survival. The severity of

cirrhosis depends on complications – portal hypertension with variceal bleeding, ascites or encephalopathy. Survival of patients with

advanced cirrhosis is 1–2 years. Severe alcoholic hepatitis has 50% mortality. Basic treatment manipulation at ALD is abstinence. No

medicament was proved to improve the course of chronic disease. In the treatment of severe acute alcoholic hepatitis corticosteroids

could be used. The treatment of cirrhosis is the same as for cirrhosis of different etiology. In patients with advanced cirrhosis liver transplantation

should be considered if abstinence is confirmed.

Keywords: alcohol, cirrhosis, fibrosis, steatohepatitis, steatosis.

Published: June 1, 2009  Show citation