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Expert: Alcoholism needs to be treated to prevent further disease
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BARCELONA — In a new video interview from International Liver Congress 2016, Lorenzo Leggio, MD, PhD, MSc, Clinical Investigator and Chief of the Section on Clinical Psychoneuroendocrinology and Neuropsychopharmacology, NIAAA and NIDA, National Institutes of Health, discusses his presentation from an EASL-ESBRA joint workshop, on alcoholism and alcoholic liver disorders and the need for raised awareness so more patients can be treated to prevent progression of disease.
“This is an important medical problem because alcohol is a leading cause of mortality and morbidity in the world. It is one of the main etiologies of liver disorders,” Leggio told Healio.com/Hepatology.
One of the main goals for clinicians and scientists is to help patients who drink too much to reduce drinking, quit drinking and prevent development of alcoholic liver disease, according to Leggio. If patients develop alcoholic liver disease, it then becomes important for clinicians to help them stop drinking to prevent further liver damage, such as liver cirrhosis, which could lead to liver transplantation.
Data suggests only 10% of alcoholic patients receive formal treatment, according to Leggio.
“We are leaving out 90% of this population with such an important medical problem,” Leggio said.
Leggio stated there are various treatments available. Examples include: behavior treatments, such as cognitive behavior therapies and motivation interviews, and various medications.
“The fact that we had a joint workshop today really speaks up for the importance [of treatment of this disease] and that people who have different expertise … work altogether towards the same goal which is helping patients with alcoholic use disorder and alcoholic liver disease to be more aware of their problems and to seek treatment and help them indeed quit drinking,” Leggio said.
Disclosure: Leggio reports no relevant financial disclosures.