Alcoholic hepatitis: what are its symptoms, causes and treatment

Alcoholic hepatitis is inflammation of the liver caused by alcohol consumption.

Alcoholic hepatitis is more likely to occur in people who drink heavily for many years. However, the relationship between alcohol consumption and alcoholic hepatitis is complex. Not all heavy drinkers develop alcoholic hepatitis, and the disease can occur in people who drink moderately.

If you have been diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis, you should stop drinking alcohol. People who continue to drink alcohol are at high risk of liver damage and death.

Symptoms

The most common sign of alcoholic hepatitis is yellowing of the skin and the whites of the eyes (jaundice).

Other signs and symptoms include: Loss of appetite Nausea and vomiting Abdominal tenderness. Fever, often mild Fatigue and weakness.

Malnutrition is common in people with alcoholic hepatitis. Drinking large amounts of alcohol suppresses the appetite, and heavy drinkers get most of their calories from alcohol.

Other signs and symptoms that occur with severe alcoholic hepatitis include: Accumulation of fluid in the abdomen (ascites). Confusion and behavioral changes due to the accumulation of toxins that the liver normally destroys or eliminates. Kidney and liver failure.

When to see the doctor

Alcoholic hepatitis is a serious, often fatal disease.

Consult your doctor if: You have signs or symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis You are unable to control your drinking You would like help to reduce your alcohol consumption

Diagnostic

Your doctor will perform a physical exam and ask you questions about your current and past alcohol use. It is important to be honest about drinking alcohol. Your doctor may ask your permission to consult with family members about your drinking habits.

Treatment for alcoholic hepatitis involves stopping drinking and taking medications to relieve the signs and symptoms of liver damage.

stop drinking

If you have been diagnosed with alcoholic hepatitis, you need to stop drinking alcohol for good. This is the only possible way to reverse liver damage or prevent the disease from getting worse. People who don’t stop drinking are at risk of developing a variety of life-threatening health problems.

If you are addicted to alcohol and want to stop drinking, your doctor can recommend a treatment that suits your needs. Since it can be dangerous to quit drinking suddenly, if you are addicted, be sure to discuss your plan with your doctor.

Treatment options may include the following: Medication Counseling Alcoholics Anonymous or other support groups Residential or outpatient treatment program.

Treatment of malnutrition

Your doctor may recommend a special diet to correct nutritional problems. You will likely be referred to a nutritionist who can suggest ways to increase your intake of vitamins and nutrients that you are lacking.

If you have difficulty feeding, your doctor may recommend tube feeding. A tube is inserted down the throat or down the side of the body and into the stomach. A special nutrient-rich liquid diet is then administered through the tube.

Drugs to reduce liver inflammation

If you have severe alcoholic hepatitis, your doctor may recommend the following: Corticosteroids. These drugs have been shown to have short-term beneficial effects in increasing survival in some people with severe alcoholic hepatitis. However, corticosteroids have serious side effects and are generally not prescribed if you have kidney failure, gastrointestinal bleeding, or an infection. Pentoxifylline. Your doctor may recommend this anti-inflammatory medication if you cannot take corticosteroids. It is not known whether pentoxifylline (Pentoxil) has benefit for alcoholic hepatitis and studies have not shown consistent results.

liver transplant

For some people with severe alcoholic hepatitis, if a liver transplant is not done, there is a high risk of death.

Historically, people with alcoholic hepatitis were not candidates for liver transplantation because of the risk of resuming harmful drinking after the transplant. However, according to recent studies, carefully selected patients with severe alcoholic hepatitis have similar liver transplant survival rates as liver transplant recipients with other types of liver disease.

For transplant to be an option, you must: Find a program that cares for liver transplant patients with alcoholic hepatitis Meet program requirements, including a lifetime commitment not to drink alcohol, in addition other requirements specific to the transplant center