Ask the Experts
Alcoholic liver disease
Alcohol is the known toxin for the liver, and is one of the most common cause of end stage liver disease
Safe limit for alcohol
There is no safe limit for alcohol, however evidence suggest that men who takes 40-80 gm of alcohol, and women who take 20-40 gm of alcohol daily for more than 10 years are at risk for significant liver disease
Spectrum of disease
- Fatty liver
- Steatohepatitis
- Dyslipidemia
- Cirrhosis
Symptoms of alcoholic liver disease are
- Heaviness in upper abdomen
- Jaundice
- Abdomen distension
- Pedal edema
- GI bleed
- Altered behavior
Treatment is
- Stopping alcohol
- Food rich in calories and proteins
- Multivitamins
- UDCA, silymarin, steroids and pentoxifylline have shown benefit in appropriately selected patient population
