Alcoholic hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that results from chronic alcohol abuse. The second stage of alcoholic liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis is preceded by steatosis -- a fatty liver -- and if drinking continues, alcoholic...
Alcohol is processed by the liver and results in some toxic chemicals being generated. When consumed in large quantities, alcohol can result in inflammation of the liver, also known as alcoholic hepatitis, which requires treatment.
Alcoholic hepatitis is an inflammation, or irritation, of the liver caused by alcohol. It typically occurs in people who drink heavily for many years; however, not all heavy drinkers develop it and it can also occur in those who drink only...
Your liver is located in the upper right-hand portion of your abdominal cavity, just beneath the diaphragm and on top of the stomach. It is a dark reddish-brown color and weighs approximately 3 lbs. At any given time, the liver has about 13...
The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) states that nearly 14 million Americans abuse alcohol or are alcoholics. Alcoholism is a serious disease, characterized by an individual's dependency on alcohol. According to the...
Over 17 million Americans suffer from alcoholism or problem drinking, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). Untreated alcohol dependence usually leads to a lowered quality of life, causing substantial disruption to employment,...
An elevation in the amount of enzymes released by the liver is a symptom with a myriad of causes. Essentially, what happens is the liver, if it is inflamed or damaged, will secrete an excessive amount of the enzymes. According to the Mayo Clinic,...
Alcoholic liver disease occurs in people who drink excessive amounts of alcohol on a regular basis. The liver filters alcohol out of the blood, and forcing the liver to filter out large amounts of alcohol can damage the organ. The symptoms of...
Drinking a glass of alcohol with each meal is no cause for concern until the consumption of alcohol becomes excessive. According to MedlinePlus, alcoholism develops when a person develops a physical and psychological addiction to the drink....
An occasional mixed drink or beer may be tempting, especially during reduced-priced happy hours at the local upscale bar. However, excessive alcohol use can transform into a disease when drinking is done in secret and causes such symptoms as...
Long term excessive alcohol intake causes chronic diseases in several organ systems, particularly the liver. Alcohol causes a range of liver diseases. It can cause the liver to become fatty, termed alcoholic steatosis. The liver may become...
The liver is responsible for breaking down glucose and making proteins. Unfortunately, an enlarged liver, medically known as hepatomegaly, can be a sign of an underlying medical problem. Typically, a physician discovers this upon physical...
Medline Plus states that when a person becomes dependent on either drugs or alcohol, so he feels he needs a particular substance to function or operate, he has a drug addiction. Drug and alcohol dependency typically interfere with physical and...
Alanine aminotransferase, or ALT, and aspartate aminotransferase, AST, are the liver enzymes. ALT is mainly found in the liver, while AST is found in the liver and other tissues, organs and cells. These two enzymes are also normally in the...
Alcohol can be very addicting. Just a single beer can change the way your mind and body react to things, according to FamilyDoctor.org. Alcohol can cause a lot of damage to your body, such as alcohol poisoning, liver damage and stomach ulcers....
Alcohol use causes 15,000 to 20,000 liver-related deaths each year. Less alcohol than once thought can damage the liver; 3 to 4 drinks daily for men and just 2 to 3 drinks daily for women over a 15 to 20 year period can cause liver damage, the...
Numerous conditions or factors can cause elevated AST liver enzymes. According to MayoClinic.com, elevated liver enzymes indicate that your liver cells have been damaged. Damage to your liver causes liver enzymes and other chemicals to leak into...
Alcohol abuse is not always easy to detect, either for yourself or for others. The immediate physical signs of alcohol abuse are only obvious during or just after a session of heavy drinking. However, many other physical signs may develop over a...
Fatty liver disease is the name given to a buildup of fat inside the cells of the liver. Approximately 10 to 20 percent of people in the United States have fatty liver disease, according to the American Liver Foundation. Fatty liver disease often...
Once a sample of blood is drawn from a vein, the physician can order several laboratory tests, including the liver enzymes function test. An increase in liver enzymes in the bloodstream can indicate injured liver cells. The amount of increase...
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, in 2008, about 50 percent of Americans reported moderate alcohol consumption. Abdominal pain is a symptom indicative of a host of elusive diseases, illnesses and conditions. However,...
Excessive alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States, according to an article in the June 25, 2009, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Heavy drinking not only damages the liver, but also...
The human liver performs many jobs that are vital to keeping us healthy: breaking down fat, protein and carbohydrates to maintain our metabolism, aiding digestion and detoxifying the body. The liver works to remove toxins such as alcohol from the...
Alcohol abuse or alcoholism affects about 14 million people in the United States, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). In addition to the symptoms...
The liver is the body's super organ, performing more functions than any other. Its vital roles include acting as a toxic cleanup center by filtering out harmful substances, producing bile to aid with digestion, supplying the body with important...
As long as you're taking good care of your body, you shouldn't have to start a special diet for hepatitis C. Just eat healthy foods, including plenty of fruits and vegetables, lean meats and whole grains. Decrease your intake of fatty foods and...
The liver is one of the most functionally diverse of the body organs. Its many activities include regulation of sugar and fat metabolism, deactivation of medications, detoxification of damaging chemicals, protein production and storage of...
Alcohol is processed and metabolized by the liver. In the liver, the alcohol is converted into acetaldehyde, which is a toxic chemical that is normally rapidly converted into other, less dangerous chemicals. However, when large amounts of alcohol...
Zinc is a trace mineral with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties that prevents cell death and protects your liver from disease, according to research conducted in 2007 by scientists at the University of Athens Medical School in Greece....
Various cancers can spread to the liver, however, liver cancer begins in the cells of the liver itself. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments for Liver Cancer in this video.
Cirrhosis is a condition that causes irreversible scarring of the liver. As scar tissue replaces normal tissue, blood flow through your liver is affected. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments for Cirrhosis in this video.
