Alcoholic Liver Disease Flashcards
What issues can alcohol lead to?
- Alcoholic Liver Disease
- Alcohol Dependance
What is the stepwise progression of alcoholic liver disease?
1- Alcohol related fatty liver
2- Alcoholic hepatitis
3- Cirrhosis
How does alcoholic fatty liver resolve?
Self-resolves in 2 weeks with no alcohol
Can alcoholic hepatitis resolve?
If mild and permanent abstinence
How does cirrhosis occur?
Liver becomes irreversibly scarred
How can cirrhosis progression be slowed?
Stop drinking to prevent further damage
What is the recommended alcohol intake?
14u men and women
Spread over 3+ days
What cancers does drinking particularly predispose to?
- Breast
- Mouth
- Throat
Who should avoid alcohol?
Pregnant women
How can alcohol intake be assessed?
- CAGE
- AUDIT (WHO questionnaire)
Outline the CAGE questionnaire.
Cut down (thought you should)
Annoyed (when people comment)
Guilty (about drinking)
Eye opener (drink when you wake up/help hangover)
What score on the audit questionnaire indicates harmful alcohol use?
8
What are the complications of alcoholism?
- Alcoholic liver disease
- Cirrhosis
- Dependence
- Wernicke-Korsakoff Syndrome
- Pancreatitis
What are the signs of chronic liver disease?
Hands round to Abdomen
- Palmar erythema
- Asterixis
- Bruising (abnormal clotting)
- Jaundice
- Spider Naevi
- Gynaecomastia
- Ascites
- Caput Medusa
- Hepatomegaly
- Testicle atrophy
What bloods should be done in suspected liver disease?
FBC
LFTs
UsEs
Clotting Studies
What might an FBC show in alcoholic liver disease?
Raised MCV
What might an LFTs show in alcoholic liver disease?
- Raised ALT/AST
- Raised GGT
- Low albumin
- Raised bilirubin
What can cause raised GGT?
- Alcohol
- Pregnancy
- Obstruction
Why might albumin be low in alcoholic liver disease?
Reduced synthetic function of the liver
What might UsEs show in alcoholic liver disease?
Ur and Cr deranged in hepatorenal syndrome
What might clotting studies show in alcoholic liver disease?
Prolonged clotting time