This week Bobbi Conner talks with Dr. Don Rockey about the causes, treatment, and prevention of alcohol-related liver disease. Dr. Rockey is a Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology and Director of the MUSC Digestive Disease Research Center.
TRANSCRIPT:
Conner: I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio with Health Focus here at the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston. Alcohol related liver disease happens after frequent or continuous use of alcohol, and very often there may not be clear cut symptoms present. Doctor Don Rockey is here to talk about the details. Doctor Rockey is a Professor of Gastroenterology and Hepatology, and he's Director of the MUSC Digestive Disease Research Center. Doctor Rockey, what are the main conditions that fall under this category of alcohol related liver diseases?
Dr. Rockey: There are three main conditions that we need to think about in this category of alcohol-related liver diseases. The first is acute alcoholic hepatitis. That's a situation where in a period of heavy alcohol consumption, the patient develops acute hepatitis. The second is a more chronic and indolent process, where there is ongoing drinking and scar formation in the liver, and that leads to cirrhosis, which I suspect most people have heard about. And the third is an evolving problem that we're seeing more and more of now, and that is in patients who have underlying metabolic syndrome. So diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia, when they drink alcohol and have the metabolic syndrome, the disease is compounded and made worse.
Conner: And who's at increased risk of developing this condition?
Dr. Rockey: Currently, we don't understand why some people get alcohol-related liver disease and others don't. I will tell you that age is not a factor and we see very, very young patients in their 20s and we see patients in their 60s and 70s. So, it's probably related to genetics, and it may be related to the amount of alcohol consumed, but we really don't know. So, everybody theoretically is at risk.
Conner: And how is alcohol-related liver disease actually diagnosed?
Dr. Rockey: This can be a very tricky. There usually aren't symptoms until things really start to turn bad. The best way is probably through bloodwork. So, you know, in most patients who go to see their primary physician, seeing a doctor, they can draw blood tests that reflect the health of the liver. And that's probably the best way to make the diagnosis.
Conner: What's the treatment for this condition?
Dr. Rockey: The best treatment, of course, is to stop alcohol consumption. There are medications that make it so that patients don't like to drink or don't want to drink. And those are clearly an option in some patients. And then of course in patients who have very, very advanced liver disease, there's a lot of scarring in the liver, the liver isn't working, we can do liver transplantation so long as the patient has demonstrated that they're going to be able to stay away from alcohol.
Conner: What's the best plan for an individual to prevent alcohol related liver disease?
Dr. Rockey: I would say that the best way to prevent alcohol related liver disease is to consume alcohol in moderation, and moderation only. Continuous, frequent, large amounts of alcohol are not healthy for the liver. For those patients who, you know have problems with alcohol consumption, there are programs, and my advice is to get involved in one of these programs, whether it be an individualized program or a group type program.
Conner: Doctor Rocky, thanks for this information about alcohol-related liver disease.
Dr. Rockey: You're very welcome, Bobbi. It's always great to talk to you. Thank you.
Conner: From the radio studio for the Medical University of South Carolina in Charleston, I'm Bobbi Conner for South Carolina Public Radio.
Health Focus transcripts are intended to accurately represent the original audio version of the program; however, some discrepancies or inaccuracies may exist. The audio format serves as the official record of Health Focus programming.
