Patient's question:
I went to the hospital with my friend yesterday for a thorough examination. The doctor said he had alcoholic liver disease and needed to be admitted to the hospital immediately for treatment. Why is it so serious all of a sudden? I've only heard of fatty liver disease and liver cirrhosis. I'd like to ask what are the differences between fatty liver, alcoholic liver disease, and liver cirrhosis?Doctor's answer:
Fatty liver refers to an inflammation caused by various reasons leading to excessive fat accumulation within liver cells. Alcoholic liver disease occurs when long-term excessive alcohol consumption damages and deforms liver cells, resulting in liver damage, which is medically termed alcoholic liver disease or alcoholic hepatitis. Alcoholic liver disease is not fatty liver, but both can lead to cirrhosis. In the early stages of cirrhosis, symptoms are not obvious, and some patients may not pay attention, missing the best opportunity for treatment and leading to severe consequences later on. Because in the later stages of cirrhosis, the symptoms become more pronounced, the most vulnerable aspect is the occurrence of multiple complications, ultimately leading to a series of varying degrees of portal hypertension and liver dysfunction, until complications such as upper gastrointestinal bleeding and hepatic encephalopathy arise, posing a life-threatening risk. Alcoholic liver disease is very serious, and patients are advised to seek timely treatment.