Common Signs And Symptoms Of Liver Damage

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Causes Of Liver Disease: Alcohol Abuse

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Long-term excessive alcohol consumption is the primary cause of liver disease in North America. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), there were 19,388 reported deaths due to alcoholic liver disease in the United States in 2014. In 2015, nearly 20% of all liver transplants were performed because of alcoholic liver disease, making it the third most common reason for a liver transplant, following chronic hepatitis C and liver cancer.

The four main stages of alcoholic liver disease are alcoholic fatty liver disease, alcoholic hepatitis, fibrosis, and cirrhosis. Chronic alcohol abuse leads to the accumulation of fat in liver cells. Alcohol is toxic to liver cells and can cause alcoholic hepatitis or liver inflammation. The body produces acetaldehyde as a byproduct when it breaks down alcohol, and this toxic chemical can damage the liver, leading to inflammation and scarring (cirrhosis).