An acute or chronic inflammation of the liver induced by alcohol abuse . See also cirrhosis . Causes, Incidence and Risk Factors Alcoholic hepatitis usually occurs after years of excessive drinking. The longer the duration of alcohol use and the larger the consumption of alcohol, the greater the probability of developing liver disease .
Malnutrition contributes to liver disease.
The toxicity of ethanol to the liver, individual susceptibility to alcohol-induced liver disease, and genetic factors also contribute to the development of alcoholic liver disease. Alcoholic liver disease does not affect all heavy drinkers, and women may be more susceptible than men. Drunkenness is not essential for the development of the disease. In some drinkers, the rate of alcohol metabolism can be high enough to allow for the consumption of large quantities of alcohol without raising the blood alcohol level to detectable concentrations by conventional breath analyzer. Cirrhosis is the final phase of the disease.