Alcoholic liver disease

Alcoholic liver disease
Other names	Alcohol-related liver disease
Microscopy of liver showing fatty change, cell necrosis, Mallory bodies
Specialty	Gastroenterology

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD), also called alcohol-related liver disease (ARLD), is a term that encompasses the liver manifestations of alcohol overconsumption, including fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and chronic hepatitis with liver fibrosis or cirrhosis.^[1]

It is the major cause of liver disease in Western countries, and is the leading cause of death from excessive drinking.^[2][3] Although steatosis (fatty liver disease) will develop in any individual who consumes a large quantity of alcoholic beverages over a long period of time, this process is transient and reversible.^[1] More than 90% of all heavy drinkers develop fatty liver whilst about 25% develop the more severe alcoholic hepatitis, and 15% liver cirrhosis.^[4]

For patients with chronic hepatitis B, a strict adherence to abstinence is highly recommended.^[5]