- Main symptoms
- Diagnosis of alcoholic hepatitis
- How the treatment is done
- 1. Abstinence from alcohol
- 2. Care with food
- 3. Use of medicines
- 4. Liver transplantation
Alcoholic hepatitis is a type of hepatitis caused by the prolonged and excessive use of alcoholic beverages that over time causes changes in the liver and leads to the appearance of symptoms such as severe abdominal pain, nausea, vomiting and loss of appetite, for example.
Acute alcoholic hepatitis is curable, in most cases, as long as the person stops drinking alcohol and undergoes treatment with drugs prescribed by the hepatologist or general practitioner, in order to avoid serious complications, such as cirrhosis or liver failure.
Main symptoms
The main signs and symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis can include:
- Abdominal pain on the right side; Yellow skin and eyes, a situation called jaundice; Swelling of the body, especially in the belly; Loss of appetite; Excessive tiredness; Nausea and vomiting; Weight loss without apparent cause; Enlarged liver and spleen, which can be perceived by increasing abdominal volume.
Typically, people who show signs and symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis and who do not start proper treatment, have a 6-month survival rate after the first symptoms appear. Therefore, it is very important to consult the hepatologist as soon as possible whenever symptoms of liver problems arise.
Diagnosis of alcoholic hepatitis
The diagnosis of alcoholic hepatitis is made by a hepatologist or general practitioner through laboratory tests, such as enzyme measurements that assess liver function and complete blood count. In addition, the doctor may recommend performing imaging tests, such as abdominal ultrasound, to check for changes in the liver and spleen.
In addition to the exams, the doctor must take into account the patient's history at the time of diagnosis, and it is important to know if the person used alcoholic beverages, frequency and quantity.
How the treatment is done
Treatment for alcoholic hepatitis should be guided by a hepatologist or gastroenterologist, and may vary according to the severity of the disease. One of the main indications in the treatment of alcoholic hepatitis is abstinence from alcohol, as this reduces the inflammation of the liver, relieving symptoms and preventing the progression of the disease.
However, the main ways to treat alcoholic hepatitis include:
1. Abstinence from alcohol
Stopping alcoholic beverages, abandoning alcoholism, is the main step to treat alcoholic hepatitis. In many cases, there is a significant improvement in inflammation and fat accumulation in the liver, which can sometimes be sufficient to cure hepatitis.
However, in other cases, the inflammation can only improve, with the persistence of liver disease, requiring the association of other treatments by the doctor. Even in these cases, the abandonment of alcohol consumption is essential for the disease to progress more slowly and to increase the life span.
Learn about the main diseases caused by alcohol.
2. Care with food
Malnutrition, with a lack of calories, proteins and vitamins, is common in people with alcoholic hepatitis.
Thus, the advice of the nutritionist is very important, which may indicate a diet rich in necessary calories, which should be about 2, 000 kcal per day, the intake of amino acids and proteins and the supplementation of vitamins and minerals such as thiamine, folic acid, vitamin A, vitamin D, pyridoxine and zinc, for example.
See some recommendations in the video below:
3. Use of medicines
Some specific medications may be indicated by the doctor for the treatment of alcoholic hepatitis, such as corticosteroids, which have an anti-inflammatory action, protecting the liver cells against the toxic action of alcohol.
Other drugs with immune action, such as anti-TNF, or circulatory drugs, such as Pentoxifylline, may be indicated. In addition, medicines such as ursodeoxycholic acid, S-Adenosyl-L-Methionine and Phosphatidylcholine appear to have hepatoprotective effects.
Other therapies have been tested or can be reserved for specific cases of alcoholic hepatitis, and should always be indicated by the gastro or hepatologist.
4. Liver transplantation
Candidates for liver transplantation may be patients who have liver disease that reaches an advanced stage, who do not improve with clinical treatment or who progress to liver failure and cirrhosis.
To enter the transplant line, it is essential to abandon alcohol consumption and habits such as smoking. Find out how is the recovery from liver transplantation and the necessary care.
