Alcoholic liver disease Flashcards
What are the stages of alcoholic liver disease?
Alcoholic fatty liver
Alcoholic hepatitis
Alcoholic liver cirrhosis
What are the complications of chronic alcohol consumption?
Alcohol related liver disease
Cirrhosis
Hepatocellular carcinoma
Alcohol dependence and withdrawal
Wernicke-Korsakoff syndrome
Pancreatitis
Increased risk of cardiovascular disease
Increased risk of cancer
What is the symptoms of alcoholic liver disease?
Malaise
Weakness
Weight loss
RUQ pain
Pruritis
Easy bruising
What are the clinical signs of alcoholic liver disease?
Palmar erythema
Dupuytren’s contractures
Jaundice
Ascites
Spider naevia
Confusion
Hepatosplenomegaly
Caput medusae
What is the CAGE questionnaire?
C - have you ever felt you needed to cut down on your drinking?
A - have people annoyed you by criticising your drinking
G - have you ever felt guilty about drinking?
E - have you ever felt you needed a drink first thing in the morning?
What blood results may suggest alcoholic liver disease?
Raised MCV
Raised ALT and AST
AST:ALT ratio above 2
FBC - macrocytic anaemia
Folate deficiency
Deranged clotting
Raised bilirubin in cirrhosis
Low albumin
Deranged U&Es in hepatorenal syndrome
What imaging can be used in the diagnosis of alcoholic liver disease?
Liver ultrasound
Transient elastography - can be used to assess elasticity of liver and determine degree of fibrosis
Endoscopy - assess for oesophageal varcies
CT and MRI
Liver biopsy - can confirm diagnosis
What is the general management of alcoholic liver disease?
Alcohol cessation and detoxification regime
Weight loss
Smoking cessation
Nutritional supplementation
Corticosteroids- prednisolone (severe alcoholic hepatitis)
Liver transplant
What are the complications of alcoholic liver disease?
Alcohol withdrawal syndrome
Ascites
Hepatic encephalopathy
Oesophageal varices
Hepatocellular carcinoma
