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Suggest Treatment For Liver Problems Due To Alcohol Addiction
Q : Hi, my brother has been alcoholic since 17 he is now 34, he has seen liver specialist who has comfirmed he has enlarged, fatty liver( most likely due to alcohal abuse). He has had jaundice for about 3 weeks which started with his eyes and face but now spreading to his upper body.he has the symptoms of the flu along with irritability, fatigue etc. He has been having an average of maybe 10 or more drinks a week. please advise what treatment and if its curable?
Mon, 1 Dec 2014
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1. Going by the duration and symptoms your brother apart from fatty liver shows signs of liver cirrhosis [jaundice,fatigue] along with neurological signs of hepatic encephalopathy [irritability], thus he needs to remain under constant supervision to combat any further deterioration.
2. Avoidance of alcohol is gold standard for treatment, with carbohydrate rich diet.
3. avoid hepatotoxic drugs
4. check regularly with Bilirubin, BUN, Prothrombin Time and Serum proteins levels.
5. Hepato protective drugs like silymarin along with laxative like lactulose will help alleviate the symptoms.
6. whether or not it is curable will depend upon the stage identified by the physician, i.e. is it compensated or decompensated liver problem.
PS
Management: is based on the stage of disease at which therapy is started
• Abstinence: cessation of alcohol is the single most important treatment, without this all other therapies are of limited value.
• Diet: low fat, high carbohydrate and salt free high protein diet recommended (essential amino acids)
• Steroids: to suppress inflammation
• Antioxidants
• Treatment of Complications
• Liver transplant
1. Going by the duration and symptoms your brother apart from fatty liver shows signs of liver cirrhosis [jaundice,fatigue] along with neurological signs of hepatic encephalopathy [irritability], thus he needs to remain under constant supervision to combat any further deterioration.
2. Avoidance of alcohol is gold standard for treatment, with carbohydrate rich diet.
3. avoid hepatotoxic drugs
4. check regularly with Bilirubin, BUN, Prothrombin Time and Serum proteins levels.
5. Hepato protective drugs like silymarin along with laxative like lactulose will help alleviate the symptoms.
6. whether or not it is curable will depend upon the stage identified by the physician, i.e. is it compensated or decompensated liver problem.
PS
Management: is based on the stage of disease at which therapy is started
• Abstinence: cessation of alcohol is the single most important treatment, without this all other therapies are of limited value.
• Diet: low fat, high carbohydrate and salt free high protein diet recommended (essential amino acids)
• Steroids: to suppress inflammation
• Antioxidants
• Treatment of Complications
• Liver transplant
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