Currently, the relationship between alcohol and the development of liver injury is clearly defined. However, the influence of genetic factors, the existence of associated pathologies and the use of other hepatotoxic agents should also be considered. On the other hand, the complex network of intercellular and intracellular communications that includes cytokines, adhesion molecules and membrane receptors are essential elements to consider in alcoholic diseases. Endotoxin, TNF-a, IL-8, as well as the production of ROI seem to be the most important factors. With respect to alcoholic hepatitis, the development of an exaggerated inflammatory response with the existence of neutrophils may be the main mechanism of hepatocellular injury (82, 167, 168). There is a great variability of clinical symptoms, and some patients present chronic diseases frequently. Those who develop severe will see insufficiency will present leukocytosis, jaundice and fever. In these cases, mortality can reach 80%. There is no relationship between the alteration of visual function tests and the severity of the injury. The usefulness of antioxidants in cirrhosis has been demonstrated in animal models and in some studies performed in human volunteers. However, its role as a therapy in the context of alcoholic hepatitis has not yet been defined. Alcoholic liver disease is liver damage caused by too much alcohol for a long time.
Alcoholic hepatitis
Alcoholic hepatitis is inflammation of the liver due to alcohol intake. Alcoholic hepatitis is more likely to occur in people who drink in abundance for many years. However, the relationship between drinking and alcoholic hepatitis is complex. Not all heavy drinkers develop alcoholic hepatitis, and the disease can occur in people who drink moderately. If you were diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis, you should stop drinking alcohol. People who continue to consume alcohol face a high risk of liver damage and death.
symptom
The most common sign of alcoholic hepatitis is the yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice).
These are other signs and symptoms:
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea and vomiting.
- Abdominal sensitivity
- Fever, usually low.
- Fatigue and weakness
- Weightloss
Almost all people with alcoholic hepatitis have malnutrition. Ingesting large amounts of alcohol suppresses appetite, and heavy drinkers get most of the calories in the form of alcohol.
Signs and symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis may include the following:
- Accumulation of fluid in the abdomen (ascites).
- Confusion and changes in behavior due to the accumulation of toxins that the liver usually destroys or eliminates.
- Renal and hepatic insufficiency.
When should you see a doctor?
Alcoholic hepatitis is a serious disease. Between 30% and 40% of people with acute alcoholic hepatitis can die within a month.
Consult your doctor in the following cases:
- Symptoms and signs of alcoholic hepatitis.
- If you feel you can not control the drink.
- If you need help to stop drinking.
Risk factor's
The biggest risk factor for alcoholic hepatitis is the amount of alcohol you consume. It is unknown the amount of alcohol that a person must ingest to be at risk of having alcoholic hepatitis. However, most people with this disease have a history of consumption of more than 3.4 ounces (100 grams), which is equivalent to seven glasses of wine, seven beers or seven drinks of high-alcohol alcoholic beverages, per day for the past 20 years.
Other risk factors include the following:
- Sex: Women tend to have a higher risk of developing alcoholic hepatitis; This may be due to differences in the way alcohol is processed in women
- Obesity: Heavy, overweight drinkers are more likely to develop alcoholic hepatitis and progress to cirrhosis.
- Genetic factors: There are studies that suggest that it may have a genetic component in liver diseases induced by alcohol, although it is difficult to separate genetic factors from environmental factors.
- Race and ethnicity: While it is difficult to separate genetic factors from environmental factors, African Americans and Hispanics may be at greater risk for alcoholic hepatitis.
- Compulsive alcohol consumption: Consuming five or more drinks at one time may increase the risk of developing alcoholic hepatitis.
Causes :
- Alcoholic liver disease occurs after years of excessive alcohol consumption. Over time, scarring and cirrhosis may occur. Cirrhosis is the final phase of alcoholic liver disease.
- Alcoholic liver disease does not occur in all heavy drinkers. The chances of developing the disease increase according to the time you have been drinking and the amount of alcohol you consume. You do not have to get drunk to have the disease.
- Alcoholic liver disease appears to be more common in some families. Women may be more susceptible to having this problem than men.
Consumption of alcohol:
People can better understand their risk of developing an alcoholic liver disease if they know how much alcohol they consume. To determine this amount it is necessary to know the content of alcohol present in different beverages. The different types of drinks contain different percentages of alcohol.
- Beer: the majority between 2 and 7%
- Wine: the majority between 10 and 15%
- Liquors: the majority between 40 and 45%
However, usually the different volumes in which these drinks are served contain a similar amount of alcohol even though the amount of liquid is very different:
- A can of 350 mL of beer: approximately 4.2 mL at 23.6 mL
- A glass of 150 mL of wine: approximately 20 mL at 30 mL
- A 45-mL glass of liquor (or a cocktail-type mixed drink): approximately 15 mL.
In general, the more quantity and the longer alcohol is consumed, the greater the risk of developing an alcoholic liver disease. However, the disease does not develop in all people who drink excessively for a long time. Therefore, there are other factors involved.
https://medlineplus.gov/spanish/ency/article/000281.htm
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