High Incidence Of Liver Disease In Tamil Nadu Due To Alcohol Abuse - MMHRC

According to WHO, Liver diseases are a 10th most common cause of mortality in India. Approximately 1 in 5 people in India have excess fat in their liver and 1 in 10 has fatty liver disease. Further two-thirds of the diabetics in India have some sort of liver disorder too. Common liver diseases prevalent in Tamil Nadu are alcoholic liver diseases, chronic viral hepatitis due to Hepatitis B and C virus and fatty liver. Alcoholic liver disease can be completely cured if detected at an early stage.

As liver disease progresses, it causes inflammation in the liver followed by fibrosis which causes the liver to scar. Further, the severe scarring of the liver is known as cirrhosis and when cirrhosis becomes worse, the liver is unable to perform its job leading to a failure. Cirrhosis is the main reason for the development of primary liver cancer. It may also occur in people with chronic hepatitis B.”

To take care of the liver, one needs to adopt a healthy lifestyle and have a balanced diet of grains, proteins, dairy products, fruits, vegetables, and fats. Abstaining from alcohol, tobacco, and drugs and regular exercise is also equally important. When a patient suffers from liver failure, his body is like a vehicle running on reserve fuel. Everything may seem alright from outside, but things may come to an abrupt end anytime. A timely liver transplant provides the body with a new ‘engine’ and has the probability to add many more meaningful years to life. Liver function tests (LFTs) at periodic interval is also highly recommended for detection of symptoms.”

It is very important to create awareness about modes of spread of Hepatitis B and C virus (Sex, blood transfusion, use of infected needles in drug users and mother to child during pregnancy), vaccination for Hepatitis B, active surveillance in susceptible population and early initiation of treatment could probably eliminate the viral hepatitis-related liver disease.”