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Boozy teenagers are facing liver damage
Drinkers as young as 17 are suffering from liver failure because they booze too much, The News can reveal.
Liver expert Dr Nick Sheron says patients being diagnosed with alcohol-related diseases are getting younger and younger.
Dr Sheron, a consultant hepatologist, said: 'If you go back 15 or 20 years the average age of people coming into hospital for alcohol-related liver disease was late-40s and early- 50s, but we are now seeing people younger and younger.
'It's not at all unusual to see people in their late-20s and early-30s several times a year.
'The youngest person seen with end-stage liver failure was 17.
'Normally these are people who have drunk heavily for 10 years.'
Dr Sheron, an expert based at Southampton General Hospital, is speaking out as part of the Safer Portsmouth Partnership's News-backed Save Dave campaign. This aims to save lives and cut booze-related hospital admissions among the most at-risk age group – men aged over 35.
As reported yesterday, new figures reveal 668 people in our area – almost 13 a week – died from alcohol-related illnesses last year.
A third of those people – 229 – died from chronic liver disease.
The average amount people with liver cirrhosis drink is between 100 and 120 units a week – equal to 10 or 12 bottles of wine – according to Dr Sheron.
However, he says many of his patients drink up to 400 units a week.
He is backing Save Davein the hope drinkers will be shocked into taking action to curb their boozy habits before it is too late.
Dr Sheron added: 'There are many, many people in this country who share a bottle of wine with their partner at night when they come home from work – they might have a gin and tonic or a couple of beers before they start it.
'If they are drinking every day they are almost certainly going to drink more at the weekend as a celebration.
'Most people are drinking more than that. A lot of our patients are drinking 400 units a week.
'Most of our patients aren't alcoholics – they see themselves as social drinkers and are drinking 30 to 40 units a week.
'It's completely related to the amount you drink.
'The liver's got enormous powers of recovery. If you are still alive there is still time to do something about it.
'By the time a lot of patients get to us their only option is to stop drinking.'
SO WHO IS DAVE?
Dave is 35-plus, drinks too much and regularly exceeds the recommended limits
He drinks socially and/or on his own
Dave drinks to help him cope with the daily pressures of his life – and would be lost without a drink
Dave is not concerned with why he should reduce his drinking– he has heard it all before
He does not think about changing his ways, and is at increasing risk of losing control of his life
Dave doesn't think he's got a problem
BUT SMALL MEASURES CAN BE BENEFICIAL
Drinking alcohol in moderation can actually help safeguard your health, according to Dr Nick Sheron.
Research shows drinking a small amount – no more than four units a day for men – equal to four 25ml shots of spirits – or three units for women – equal to a large glass of wine – can help protect the heart.
Dr Sheron said: 'There is some evidence that alcohol can be protective for the heart – it can reduce the risk of heart attack if it is drunk at moderate levels.
'That's why there is a concept of a "safe" level.'
However, too much boozing over a prolonged period can have devastating consequences.
Dr Sheron added: 'The liver can recover from one injury but if it keeps on getting battered it gets really scarred. Those scars can fade but will never really disappear and the damage will never really go away.
'When you have end-stage cirrhosis your liver ends up looking like a bag of marbles. There are little spheres of scar tissue with spheres of liver tissue trying to grow out. The problem is that process is painless – it doesn't cause any symptoms.
'There's really no way anybody would know it was happening.
'Then the patient could have a massive internal haemorrhage, turn yellow due to acute alcoholic hepatitis or get fluid on their tummy so it swells up and they look like they're pregnant.
'These three things have about a 50 per cent mortality rate. Very often people die before they get the chance to stop drinking.
'The other issue is drinking is quite a potent cause of cancer including gullet, oesophagus, liver, obviously, mouth, and in women it is an important cause of breast cancer.'
INFORMATION
Visit savedave.info or call (023) 9284 1753
Visit saferportsmouth.org.uk
Call Portsmouth Counselling Service's drug and alcohol line from 6pm to 9pm Monday to Friday on (023) 9273 5836
Counselling slots are available from 9am to 9pm
Visit drinkaware.co.uk or call 020 7307 7450
Visit facebook.com and type in 'Save Dave'
Email to a friend
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Sunday 12 February 2012
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