The symptoms develop slowly. The liver shrinks and is scarred, firm, and nodular. Scarring around the veins in the liver causes blood to find other routes of flow. This leads to big, swollen veins in the throat, rectum, abdomen, and chest. The longer the drinking goes on and the larger the amounts of alcohol used, the greater the risk of developing hepatitis and cirrhosis .
Alcoholic women are at risk for developing liver disease from lesser amounts of alcohol than men.
Alcoholic liver disease can be prevented by not drinking alcohol . The history of alcohol dependence , symptoms, and physical exam may be all that is required to make the diagnosis. Blood tests, X-rays, and a liver biopsy may be needed in some cases. In a liver biopsy, a small piece of liver tissue is removed with a special needle and examined in the laboratory. The only long-term effect of alcoholic fatty liver is that it may progress to hepatitis or cirrhosis if drinking continues.