Why is cirrhosis of the liver common in people who drink alcohol?

This is an automatically translated article.

Cirrhosis ascites is the result of many liver diseases that the patient has had before. In our country, the most common cause of cirrhosis and ascites is the abuse of alcohol, beer, fatty liver, etc. Along with that, some other causes can be mentioned including effects. Side effects of drugs, liver infections, hepatitis B, hepatitis C,... To better understand the impact of alcohol on this common disease, follow the article below.

1. What is cirrhosis of the liver?

The liver has the function of exchanging certain substances, creating bile to stimulate the digestive system to absorb fats and necessary vitamins. At the same time, the liver also plays an important role in removing toxic substances from the blood to ensure overall health.

Cirrhosis ascites is an extremely dangerous disease with a high mortality rate in many countries around the world today. This is the result of long-term damage to the liver, which has turned into a chronic stage leading to abdominal distension due to fluid accumulation. With a normal human body, the part of the peritoneal cavity between the parietal and visceral leaves does not contain water. Meanwhile, people with cirrhosis and ascites will have signs of a fluid in the middle of the visceral wall of the peritoneum.

2. Symptoms of cirrhosis ascites

When suffering from this disease, the most obvious manifestation of cirrhosis and ascites that the patient can notice is that the abdomen is enlarged to the sides, feeling a little tight to the touch. Patients also frequently experience problems related to the digestive system such as constipation or poor digestion. Also because of impaired liver function, the feeling of nausea, fever, abdominal pain also appears more and feels tired, heavy, back pain, ... every time you move.

3. Why is cirrhosis and ascites related to alcohol?

Alcohol is a special preparation of barley, rice, fruits, yeast, ... and many other ingredients. For people who use alcohol in moderation, the substances in alcohol that are put into the body will bring certain benefits such as antioxidant, preventing diabetes, and beneficial for the heart. However, excessive alcohol abuse leads to the opposite reaction, causing the user's liver function to gradually weaken.

Explaining the effects of alcohol on the body, experts said that alcohol contains a lot of ethanol (alcohol). When taken into the body, ethanol will follow the blood to the liver and be converted into Acetaldehyde. This toxin is the main cause of inflammation and destruction of liver cells. In fact, the liver can make certain substances to protect itself. However, when alcohol is used in high doses and concentrations, but these substances are not enough to counteract the harmful effects of acetaldehyde leading to the liver not being able to recover. Currently, the number of people using alcohol in our country is among the highest in the world. This is also the reason why the rate of alcoholic cirrhosis in Vietnam is much higher than in many other countries, especially alcohol-induced cirrhosis and ascites is also high.

4. Prevention of cirrhosis and ascites caused by alcohol

If the liver is severely damaged by the influence of alcohol or other stimulants, the first thing the patient needs to do is absolutely not use alcohol in daily life. This is because they are the agents that cause the disease to develop rapidly, especially causing an alarming risk of death.

Besides, a reasonable diet, work and rest is also extremely necessary. Therefore, patients should pay attention to the following:
Do not use drugs and toxic chemicals. Limit the use of foods containing a lot of protein and fat when there are signs of edema. Should be eaten lightly. During treatment, the patient should contact the doctor when there are sudden signs of sweetness such as vomiting blood, black stools, fresh blood in the stools, larger abdomen, swollen legs or fever. For severe cases, the patient will be prescribed antibiotics by a specialist for long-term use. In severe cases, a liver transplant procedure may be recommended. In general, because the surgical treatment of cirrhosis and ascites is quite complicated, it requires long-term drug use. Therefore, patients need to be tested and carefully examined to ensure their health before performing. In fact, in the communication culture of Vietnamese people, alcohol is a habit that is difficult to break. However, this is the direct and indirect cause of dozens of different diseases, including cirrhosis and ascites. To contribute to improving health in general and treating and preventing certain diseases in particular, let's form healthy alcohol habits and limit alcohol use from today.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.