Alcoholic cirrhosis
Definition
Cirrhosis is an alteration of the normal architecture of the liver: it is replaced by nodules of abnormal structure which are separated by annular fibrosis. It can have complications, such as ascites, renal failure, digestive hemorrhages, jaundice, cardio-respiratory disorders ...
Epidemiological data
Chronic alcoholism is the leading cause of cirrhosis in France, it is responsible for 85% of cases of cirrhosis in men and 75% in women. The prevalence of the disease is estimated between 150 and 000. On average, 200% of people consuming more than 000 g of alcohol per day have cirrhosis after 50 years.
Symptoms of the disease
Cirrhosis is asymptomatic for a long time. It can be diagnosed during a clinical examination because of a combination of signs of portal hypertension, which causes bleeding, and hepatocellular failure in an alcoholic patient.
Treatments
• There is no specific treatment for cirrhosis, apart from alcohol withdrawal.
• With regard to bleeding, for patients who are already bleeding, the preventive treatment for recurrence consists of ligation eradication and beta-blockers.
• Other treatments are recommended for the different complications.