Alcohol-related Liver Disease is on the Rise

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Jul 1, 2019 | Margaret Shepard | @Margaret_Marie

A recent study suggests that severe alcohol-related liver disease is on the rise, especially in young adults. There appears to be an increase in those who are at greater risk of cirrhosis, liver cancer and death, according to the study published in JAMA. And the potential cause is binge drinking.

Binge drinking is a pattern of drinking where a male consumes five or more drinks within two hours or a female consumes at least four drinks within two hours. Heavy drinking can cause hepatic steatosis, or increased fat in the liver, and alcoholic hepatitis, or inflammation of the liver. Over time, heavy drinking can cause cirrhosis, which is scarring and destruction of liver tissue.

On this episode of the Mayo Clinic Radio program, Dr. Doug Simonetto, a Mayo Clinic gastroenterologist and hepatologist, discusses diagnosis and treatment options for liver disease.