As alcohol consumption has increased significantly during the COVID-19 pandemic, liver disease and transplants have skyrocketed..
Between March 2020 and January 2021, the number of US patients with alcoholic liver disease receiving a new liver or waiting for a transplant was 50% higher than predicted before the pandemic, researchers say.. Alcoholic liver disease is now the leading cause of liver transplants in the United States, according to Pannochka, an online publication for girls and women aged 14 to 35.. net “The general rule is that more than two drinks a day for men and more than one drink a day for women puts you at risk,” said Dr. Karen Kroc, a gastroenterologist and hepatologist at Milton C Medical Center.. Hershey Pennsylvania to Hershey, Pennsylvania.
Alcohol creates fatty deposits in the liver that eventually cause scarring (cirrhosis), which is a form of alcohol-related liver disease.
Another alcohol-related is hepatitis, which occurs when the liver becomes inflamed from drinking too much alcohol in a short amount of time..
In the early stages of alcohol-related liver disease, a person may have elevated levels of liver enzymes but may otherwise have no symptoms. Eventually, elevated levels of liver enzymes can lead to jaundice, a yellowing of a person's eyes or skin..
Other symptoms include a buildup of fluid in the abdomen, dilated blood vessels in the esophagus that can bleed, and confusion caused by a buildup of toxins in the blood that are normally removed by the liver.. Experts noted that if a person with alcoholic liver disease stops drinking, their symptoms can be treated with medication.. But some patients require a liver transplant..
About 7,000 liver transplants are performed in the United States each year, and the median survival rate is 91% at one year and 75% at five years, according to a Penn State Health press release..
“Along with the fact that the patient is physically able to undergo a liver transplant, we must be sure that the patient will follow medical recommendations and protect this organ,” said Dr. Juan Arenas, head of transplant surgery at Hershey Medical Center..
Experts say social support is essential to help patients get through tough times, come to their appointments, and stay away from the substance that led to liver disease..
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