Call 888-647-0579 to speak with an alcohol or drug abuse counselor.

Who Answers?

Alcohol abuse may resume after critical surgery

Alcohol abuse could return after critical surgery .

critical surgery

Life-saving surgery to prevent repeated severe bleeding from ruptured veins in the esophagus or upper stomach may not induce some patients with alcoholic liver disease to stop drinking alcohol, researchers report.

Such a surgical procedure may be necessary to reduce the pressure in the veins of the esophagus and upper stomach among patients with cirrhosis, a scarring of the liver frequently caused by alcohol abuse.

The study group consisted of 132 patients with cirrhosis, including 78 with alcoholic liver disease, lead author Dr. Michael R. Lucey, of the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health, and colleagues report.

The investigators used patient and family member interviews to determine drinking patterns among 132 cirrhosis patients with who had surgically implanted shunts to reduce the pressure in their esophageal and upper stomach veins.

Twenty to 40 percent of patients with alcoholic liver disease acknowledged alcohol use during 5 years after receiving the pump. About one third of those with alcoholic liver disease reported drinking more than four alcoholic drinks per day during follow-up, the researchers report in the American Journal of Gastroenterology.

The patients with alcoholic liver disease were twice as likely to drink alcohol during follow-up as patients with cirrhosis from other causes.

Continued alcohol use among patient with alcoholic liver disease was associated with a 153 percent increase in gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), a liver enzyme indicative of liver disease. These patients also had a significantly increased risk repeat hemorrhage and death.

Lucey and colleagues conclude that a “substantial minority” of patients will return to drinking alcohol after experiencing a life-threatening complication. They recommend that patients with alcoholic liver disease should be encouraged to abstain from alcohol.
____________
source: American Journal of Gastroenterology

More Treatment & Detox Articles

Prevent summertime underage drinking

Did you know that more young people try alcohol for the first time during the summer months than at any other time of the year? Keeping teens occupied and supervised helps to ensure they have a safe summer. By involving teens in a variety of alcohol free activities — such as sports, summer camps, and….

Romancing Alcohol

I was all ready to write about Step Three this week because it is one of my favorites and I felt so inspired after my Monday meeting having heard so many thought-provoking shares. But something more timely came to my attention and I really wanted to share it with all of you. Do any of….

10 easy steps to safe drinking

With the holiday festivities in full gear, many people will most likely become victims or causalities of careless drinking. No one can claim that drinking too much alcohol is good for your health – especially as you get older. For some people, careless drinking has put them in a situation where they have been advised….

What is an Intervention & How Does it Work

Alcohol and drug addictions can take a considerable toll on the addict as well as the people in the addict’s life. By its very nature, addiction sets a person up to deny its existence as a problem, so loved ones are already at a disadvantage when trying to help an addict change his or her….

How Drug Addiction Treatment Can Change Your Life

If you or someone you love is addicted to drugs, considering treatment may be a last step resort and a decision that you’re just not quite ready to make yet. However, drug addiction treatment can and will change your life for the better if you’re willing to accept the help that is available to you,….