Alcohol-related liver disease (ALD) is caused by excessive consumption of alcohol and is both common and preventable. ALD presents in three different stages depending on the severity of liver inflammation. ALD presents in three different stages depending on the severity of liver injury. The three stages of ALD are alcohol-related fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis, and Cirrhosis.

Alcohol-related Fatty Liver

Also called alcoholic steatosis, is the earliest stage and the most common form of ALD

It is characterized by an excessive accumulation of fat inside liver cells, which makes it harder for the liver to function.

Usually there are no symptoms, although the liver can be enlarged, and you may experience upper abdominal discomfort on the right side.

Alcohol related Fatty liver occurs fairly soon in almost all people who drink heavily. The condition will usually go away if you stop drinking before fibrosis (scarring) begins to occur.

Alcoholic Hepatitis

Alcoholic hepatitis is acute inflammation, or swelling, of the liver accompanied by the destruction of liver cells. This usually occurs after drinking very large amounts of alcohol continuously over a period of days to weeks.

Up to 35 percent of heavy drinkers develop alcoholic hepatitis, which can be severe and even fatal.

Symptoms may include fever, jaundice, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain and tenderness.

The disease may occur suddenly – after binge drinking for instance and can quickly lead to life-threatening complications, including severe liver scarring (cirrhosis), the most serious complication of alcohol-related liver disease.

-National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism-