Alcoholic cirrhosis
Definition
Cirrhosis is an alteration of the normal architecture of the liver: it is replaced by nodules of abnormal structure that are separated by annular fibrosis. It can have complications, such as ascites, renal failure, digestive bleeding, jaundice, cardiorespiratory disorders ...
Epidemiological data
Chronic alcoholism is the leading cause of cirrhosis in France, accounting for 85% of all cases of cirrhosis in men and 75% in women. The prevalence of the disease is estimated at between 150 000 and 200 000. On average, 50% of subjects consuming more than 150 g of alcohol per day have cirrhosis after 20 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, except 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.