What is Fatty Liver Disease?
Also called hepatic steatosis, fatty liver disease means you have extra fat in your liver.
Fatty liver disease is broken down into Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD) and Alcohol-Related Fatty Liver Disease (ALD).
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is divided into two types:
- Simple fatty liver – there is fat in the liver, but there is no inflammation in the liver or damage to the liver cells. This is the most common form of NAFLD and it usually doesn’t cause problems.
- Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) – more serious than simple fatty liver as there is also inflammation in the liver. The inflammation and liver cell damage with NASH can cause fibrosis and cirrhosis (types of scarring) and liver cancer.
Alcohol-related fatty liver disease (ALD) is preventable and usually improves with cessation of alcohol. ALD can lead to the following serious problems if drinking is continued:
- Enlarged liver – may be asymptomatic but may cause pain or discomfort on the upper right side of the abdomen.
- Alcoholic hepatitis – swelling in the liver that can cause fever, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, and jaundice (yellowish skin and eyes).
- Alcoholic cirrhosis – buildup of scar tissue in the liver. It can cause the same symptoms as alcoholic hepatitis and:
- Large amounts of fluid buildup in the abdomen (ascities)
- Elevated blood pressure in the liver
- Bleeding in the body
- Confusion and changes in behavior
- Enlarged spleen
- Liver failure – can be fatal
Alcohol-related fatty liver disease can progress to alcoholic hepatitis and alcoholic cirrhosis if left untreated and heavy drinking is continued.
