What is Alcoholic hepatitis?

It appears due to excessive alcohol consumption for several years that causes the liver to become inflamed, but it can also appear in individuals who drink alcoholic beverages moderately.

It is important to understand that to break down alcohol, the human body must generate highly toxic chemicals that cause inflammation of liver cells, destroying them and causing irreversible scarring of liver tissue that interferes with liver function.

Some conditions can contribute to the development of alcoholic hepatitis, such as:

Compulsive drinking.
Drink large amounts of alcohol.
Environmental and genetic factors.
Lack of nutrients that can damage the liver.
Overweight and obesity with high alcohol consumption.
Having hepatitis C and continuing to drink.

Signs and symptoms Alcoholic hepatitis

The characteristic symptoms consist of:

Jaundice.
Tiredness.
Weakness.
Abdominal pain.
High fever.
Nausea.
Vomit.
Lack of appetite.
Malnutrition.

Complications:

Ascites.
Liver failure.
Cirrhosis.
Hepatic encephalopathy.
Kidney failure.
Varicose veins in the stomach and esophagus that can burst and cause fatal bleeding.
Behavioral alterations due to the effect of toxins that the liver is no longer capable of processing.
Confused mind.

Diagnosis and treatment Alcoholic hepatitis

Once your doctor analyzes your symptoms and medical history, they will perform a physical examination and ask about your drinking habits throughout your life.

To confirm the diagnosis, it will be necessary to undergo different tests to assess your liver damage, the most common being:

Blood test.
Tests to assess liver function.
Ultrasound.
MRI.
Computed tomography.
Liver biopsy in case the previous studies do not provide clarity in the diagnosis.

Treatment focuses on stopping drinking and relieving liver damage symptoms through:

Medications that help reduce liver inflammation.
Support groups to quit alcohol permanently.
Nutrition plan.
Psychological therapy.

When the pathology is very advanced and the liver is already dysfunctional, the only option is a liver transplant.

At ABC Medical Center’s Internal Medicine Department, we offer health care services with the highest quality and safety, from the prevention, diagnosis, timely treatment, and monitoring of infectious, respiratory, endocrinological, dermatological, rheumatic, nephrological, gastrointestinal, and hematological pathologies of both chronic-degenerative diseases and acute conditions, through a comprehensive and multidisciplinary model.

Related centers and departments

Internal medicine
Radiology and Molecular Imaging
Clinical Laboratory

Fuentes:

mayoclinic.org
medlineplus.gov
cun.es
topdoctors.es
cdc.gov
medigraphic.com
Ochoa PA, Coste MP, Moreno AJ. Prevalencia y epidemiología de las infecciones bacterianas en pacientes con hepatitis alcoh lica: estudio descriptivo de pacientes hospitalizados en el hospital San Rafael de Alajuela. Rev Med Cos Cen. 2020;86(630):16-26.
Ospina-Toro JR, Bustamante-Duque M, Tangarife-Castaño V, et al. Hepatitis alcohólica. Medicina & Laboratorio. 2014;20(03-04):135-152.
Arredondo-Andrade SA, Elizalde-Barrera CI, Vargas-Ayala G. Hepatitis alcohólica grave: pentoxifilina como tratamiento de rescate en pacientes que no responden a esteroides. Med Int Mex. 2014;30(1):32-42.
Higuera-de la Tijera MF, Pérez-Hernández JL, Servín-Caamaño AI, et al. Hepatitis alcohólica. Rev Med Hosp Gen Mex. 2009;72(4):215-221.

How can we help you?

The dissemination of the content of this material is for informational purposes only and does not replace, under any circumstance or condition, a consultation with a specialist doctor, for which the ABC Medical Center is not responsible for the different use that may be given to it. If you require more information related to the subject, we suggest you contact the specialist doctor you trust directly.

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Comparison of COVID-19 vaccines

Pfizer-
BioNTech

Pfizer-BioNTech

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 95% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

No Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 16 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine such as polyethylene glycol (PEG) or polysorbate.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, malaise, and swollen lymph nodes.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 14 days of having the complete scheme (after the administration of the 2nd dose), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

Moderna

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vaccine type: mRNA
Effectiveness: 94.5% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 28 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

Who should or shouldn’t get the vaccine?
People who should receive the vaccine are those over 18 years old.
People who should not receive the vaccine are those who have a history of anaphylactic shock (severe allergy) or who are allergic to any component of this vaccine.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, muscle pain, chills, joint pain, fever, nausea, and swollen lymph nodes in the arm in which you received the injection.

Janssen/
Johnson
& Johnson

Janssen/ Johnson & Johnson

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 72.0% in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.
85% in the prevention of severe COVID-19.

Does not contain egg, latex, or preservatives./strong>

How many doses are needed?
Only one dose in needed.

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, headache, fatigue, muscle pain, chills, fever, and nausea.

How long will it take for me to be protected and what does it protect me from?
After 28 days of having the complete scheme (the last dose applied), the protection period is still under study. It protects us from 85% serious COVID-19 or requiring hospitalization.

AstraZeneca
and
Oxford
University

AstraZeneca and Oxford University

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 82% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 56 days apart (or up to 84 days apart, if necessary).

What are the possible side effects of the vaccine?
Pain where the injection was given, fatigue, headache, myalgia, arthralgia, and fever, which were mild to moderate in intensity and disappeared within 48 hours of vaccination.

Sputnik V

What is its effectiveness and what does it refer to?

Adenovirus vector-based vaccine.
Effectiveness: 92% after the second dose in the prevention of symptomatic COVID-19.

How many doses are needed?
Two doses are needed, at least 21 days apart (or up to six weeks apart, if necessary).

What is Alcoholic hepatitis?

Signs and symptoms Alcoholic hepatitis

Diagnosis and treatment Alcoholic hepatitis

Related centers and departments

Fuentes:

Index

Specialist in Alcoholic hepatitis