4 Ways Heavy Alcohol Use Can Lead To Liver Failure

The liver works by breaking down and filtering out toxic substances in the blood. Since alcohol is a toxic substance, the liver is where it’s processed before it can exit the body.

It takes approximately an hour to process one drink but the higher your blood alcohol content is, the longer it takes for the liver to process each drink.

When you drink a large amount of alcohol, what the liver can’t process quickly enough is left to circulate through the bloodstream.

With continued heavy alcohol consumption or binge drinking, liver damage can occur which, if left untreated, can lead to liver failure. Here are four ways this can happen.

1. Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Heavy drinking doesn’t immediately lead to liver failure. It may first start as a fatty liver (or steatosis of the liver). This alcohol-related liver disease occurs when fat builds up inside liver cells. It’s the most common type of alcohol-related liver issue.

The symptoms of a fatty liver may include:

• upper abdominal discomfort
• tiredness
• weakness
• weight loss

The risk factors for fatty liver disease include obesity and heavy alcohol use. The damage this disease does to the liver can be reversed by abstaining from drinking.

2. Alcoholic Hepatitis

If a fatty liver isn’t treated and you continue to drink alcohol, the liver can become more damaged and it can turn into alcoholic hepatitis.

This condition leads to inflammation of the liver, and liver cells can swell up and die. Once liver cells die, the liver becomes scarred ( also known as fibrosis).

The primary symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis may include:

• fever
• jaundice (yellowing of skin and/or eyes)
• nausea
• vomiting
• abdominal pain
• loss of appetite
• weakness
• weight loss

Alcoholic hepatitis can range from mild to severe. A mild case can be cured by quitting drinking. Your healthcare provider may also recommend vitamin supplements because so many people with alcoholic liver disease are lacking in the necessary vitamins and minerals.

Severe alcoholic hepatitis can lead to more liver damage and ultimately, liver failure.

3. Alcohol-Related Cirrhosis

If alcoholic hepatitis is left untreated and you continue to drink alcoholic beverages, it can quickly turn into liver cirrhosis, a form of chronic liver disease.

Additionally, if you happen to have hepatitis C and drink alcohol, you have a higher risk of developing cirrhosis.

Cirrhosis occurs when the healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue. The liver also begins to shrink and harden. This will affect your liver function and, in this case, the damage is likely irreversible.

The symptoms of alcoholic cirrhosis include:

• portal hypertension (high blood pressure in the blood vessels of the liver)
• enlarged spleen
• fever
• jaundice (yellowing of skin and/or eyes)
• nausea
• vomiting
• abdominal pain
• loss of appetite
• ​malnutrition
• weakness
• bleeding in the intestines
• ascites (fluid build-up in the stomach)
• fatigue
• bruising
• swelling in your legs, feet, or ankles
• weight loss
• itchy skin

To test for cirrhosis or other alcohol-related liver diseases, your healthcare provider will likely first run a blood test (also known as a liver function test) to find out how well the liver is functioning.

If the results show there is a problem, they may continue with an ultrasound, an MRI, or a liver biopsy.

4. Liver Cancer

Heavy alcohol intake over a long period of time can also increase your risk of liver cancer which can lead to liver failure and be life-threatening.

While liver cancer may not have any symptoms, there are some things you can look out for, including:

• discomfort in the upper abdomen
• swollen abdomen
• hard lump on the right side below the rib cage
• pain near the right shoulder blade
• jaundice (yellowing of the skin and/or whites of the eyes).
• easy bruising or bleeding
• tiredness
• nausea
• vomiting
• loss of appetite
• sudden weight loss

Treating liver cancer can involve removing part of the liver, a liver transplant, chemotherapy, or radiation therapy.

If you or a loved one lives with alcohol abuse or alcohol use disorder, Northeast Addiction Treatment Center can help you find the treatment that’s right for you.

We offer a variety of treatment options including intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs, therapy, and medication-assisted treatment.

Please call our helpline today and take the first step on your road to recovery.