Alcoholic hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver. It is
typically caused by excessive alcohol consumption over a long
period of time. If you develop this condition, you must stop
drinking alcohol. Continued drinking can lead to additional
health problems, such as cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver or
liver failure. When alcohol is broken down (metabolized) in the
liver, it produces highly toxic chemicals. These chemicals can
scar the liver. This scarring then leads to inflammation and
alcoholic hepatitis. Although heavy drinking causes alcoholic
hepatitis, doctors are not entirely sure why the condition
develops. Alcoholic hepatitis only develops in a small number of
heavy drinkers. It can also develop in people who are only
moderate drinkers. Because alcoholic hepatitis does not occur in
all heavy drinkers, other factors may influence the development
of this condition. These include: - genetic factors that affect
how the body processes alcohol - the presence of other liver
disorders, such as hepatitis C Wo