How is ALD treated?
The most important aspect of treatment in ALD is the immediate and total abstinence from alcohol. It is also critical that the patient’s nutritional intake is adjusted to maintain a high caloric, high protein diet. This does not need to be accomplished within the confines of a hospital, although efforts to enroll these patients in a detoxification program are clearly justified. Hospitalization may be necessary for those patients who have extrahepatic complications or those with risks factors associated with acute liver-related mortality. Drugs may be used to treat the symptoms of withdrawal. Proteins and vitamin dietary supplements are prescribed. Vitamin B and K are administered. Potassium, magnesium and zinc are administered to those patients with decompensated liver disease. Corticosteroids are prescribed for severely ill patients. This group of patients, with a high risk of mortality, have been found to have high levels of circulating proinflammatory cytokines. These are blocked by
