Liver inflammation usually calms down as a result of abstinence, which does not mean that the liver is completely healed. It still remains more sensitive and exposed to various functional disorders. The relapse of drinking causes further very unfavorable and rapid changes. If an addicted person continues to drink alcohol despite changes in the liver, cirrhosis of the liver may develop, which is much more life-threatening than previous conditions.
- Long-term drinking of alcohol leads to the development of deep liver damage, usually proceeding in three stages: fatty liver, hepatitis, cirrhosis
- The risk of developing the disease is increased if a person, in addition to drinking, also smokes tobacco and drinks coffee. The disease develops in about 15 percent. alcoholics
- The text on the effects of alcohol on the liver is an excerpt from the book “How much can you drink?” Johannes Lindenmeyer, the new edition of which was released at the end of July by the Znak Publishing House
- More information can be found on the Onet homepage
Liver
The liver, weighing about 1,5 kg, the largest human organ, performs metabolic, secretory, excretory and circulatory functions. As already mentioned, it is thanks to the liver that most of the drunk alcohol and drugs with addictive potential are removed from the body. Long-term drinking of alcohol leads to the development of deep liver damage, usually taking place in three stages: fatty liver, hepatitis, and cirrhosis.
Fatty liver
Initially About half of alcoholics develop what is called fatty liver, which means a build-up of fat in the cells of an organ. As a result, the liver may become significantly enlarged and its color may change from dark red to light brown. The process is often asymptomatic, and patients complain of a feeling of fullness, decreased appetite, morning sickness and increased fatigue. In order to recognize the disease, medical and laboratory examinations should be carried out. Alcoholic fatty liver disease occurs because:
- the process of burning large amounts of alcohol produces fat, which is deposited in the liver cells;
- alcohol damages the “transport system” that allows fat to be removed, causing it to build up in the liver.
Abstinence generally leads to a reversal of these changes within two to six weeks, and laboratory results also improve. At this stage, the liver returns to normal by abstaining from drinking.
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Hepatitis
Liver inflammation can manifest itself in a wide variety of ailments, ranging from liver failure to jaundice and life-threatening liver disorders. Inflammation occurs most often as a result of damage to liver cells and their death due to the already mentioned toxic effect of acetaldehyde. Common symptoms include abdominal pain, nausea and vomiting, but also fever and severe sweating. The presence of liver inflammation can be most accurately determined by your doctor, based on the results of laboratory tests (so-called liver function tests).
Liver inflammation usually calms down as a result of abstinence, which does not mean that the liver is completely healed. It still remains more sensitive and exposed to various functional disorders. The relapse of drinking causes further very unfavorable and rapid changes.
The rest of the text below the video.
Cirrhosis
If an addicted person continues to drink alcohol despite changes in the liver, hepatic cirrhosis may develop, which is much more life-threatening than previous conditions. The risk of developing the disease is increased if a person, in addition to drinking, also smokes tobacco and drinks coffee.
The disease develops in about 15 percent. alcoholics. It consists in the excessive production of connective tissue that replaces the liver parenchyma, damaged by long-term effects of toxic factors (usually alcohol). This leads to an exacerbation of previously existing ailments and the emergence of serious complications, including varicose veins (mainly in the gastrointestinal tract) and hemorrhoids, hemorrhages, jaundice and ascites. Alcohol tolerance also lowers.
Cirrhosis of the liver and its possible sequelae
About 15 percent Alcoholics develop cirrhosis of the liver because they continue to drink alcohol while suffering from hepatitis.
Decrease in alcohol tolerance. Liver function becomes so limited that the patient can only tolerate small doses of alcohol, which nevertheless have a strong effect. The environment often completely wrongly perceives this change as an improvement.
Varicose veins and hemorrhoids. The hypertension resulting from cirrhosis in the veins supplying the liver with blood from the digestive tract, spleen and pancreas leads to the formation of varicose veins (mainly in the digestive tract). Bleeding from varicose veins can be life-threatening. The consequences of the discussed processes are often bursting hemorrhoids.
Swelling. They arise due to the accumulation of an excessive amount of water in the body cavities. They most often have the form of ascites, but also swelling of the legs.
Haemorrhages. Ultimately, severe bleeding disorders occur, resulting in prolonged, severe, and difficult to stop hemorrhages, even after minor injuries.
Along with the development of cirrhosis of the liver, the patient’s life is increasingly threatened by progressive intoxication, caused by the fact that the liver is unable to perform its detoxifying function. This poisoning leads to death. For example, since 1950, with the increase in alcohol consumption in Germany, the number of deaths from cirrhosis of the liver has increased in parallel – now around 40. people die each year in this country because of this.
Cirrhosis of the liver is irreversible and does not reverse after abstinence. However, those who preserve it live much longer despite their illness than those who continue to drink.