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Alcoholic Liver Disease Care in Palo Alto

It's care that works for you. Find out about convenient care options for Alcoholic Liver Disease Care Services in Palo Alto at Sutter Health. We're taking extra precautions every day to help keep patients, staff and providers safe.
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Featured Services in Palo Alto

  • Liver Transplant

Advancing the Fight Against Alcoholic Liver Disease (ALD)

An estimated 14 million people in the United States have an alcohol use disorder, according to the 2014 National Survey on Drug Use and Health. Some of them will develop alcoholic liver disease (ALD) as a result.

The liver performs a vital function as the body’s primary filter for removing harmful substances—including alcohol—from the bloodstream. If you consume more alcohol than your liver can break down, it can damage or kill liver cells and cause scarring. 

In the Sutter Health network, highly trained liver specialists are advancing the care of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) through research and the development of new therapies and treatments of liver damage. 

Types of ALD

Alcoholism causes three types of liver disease, but ALD does not necessarily progress through each one as in stages. You may develop cirrhosis without having had alcoholic hepatitis first.

  • Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease — An early consequence of excessive alcohol consumption that is reversible with abstinence.
  • Alcoholic Hepatitis — Marked by fat deposits in liver cells and inflammation and mild scarring of the liver. May be accompanied by symptoms that include nausea, fever, abdominal pain and jaundice.
  • Alcoholic Cirrhosis — Scar tissue replaces healthy soft liver tissue, and may cause nausea, abdominal pain, fever and jaundice. 

Diagnosis of ALD

Liver specialists begin by gathering a complete clinical history, including alcohol habits, and a physical examination to check for inflammation of the liver and other signs of liver disease. Blood tests called liver function tests show how well your liver is performing its various functions. A liver biopsy may be necessary to check for the presence of liver cell death due to steatosis (excessive fat deposits in liver cells caused by alcohol and obesity). 

Treatment for ALD

The foundation of alcoholic liver disease treatment is abstinence from alcohol. Our specialists may recommend an alcohol recovery program to help your liver recover or medication and therapy to manage complications. 

If your liver does not recover following abstinence, you may be referred to Sutter’s renowned Barry S. Levin, MD, Department of Transplant at California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco.

In Your Corner

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Managing Cirrhosis

Liver specialists in the Sutter Health network are expert in the care of liver diseases, many of which result in cirrhosis, the end stage of chronic liver diseases. We can help manage your cirrhosis and the complications that occur.

Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) Research

Sutter Health Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) Research
Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is a chronic autoimmune disease with injury and inflammation to the small bile ducts in the liver. This injury can eventually cause the bile ducts to collapse. Without bile ducts, bile (a digestive enzyme) builds up and causes liver damage.

Sutter Health Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) Research Sutter Health Primary Biliary Cholangitis (PBC) Research

Services Near Palo Alto

Palo Alto Medical Foundation

Palo Alto Medical Foundation

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Mills-Peninsula Medical Center

Sutter Gould Medical Foundation

Sutter Gould Medical Foundation

Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital

Sutter Auburn Faith Hospital

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