CAMPAIGNS
Make your liver the star attraction
Many people in the UK will have liver disease caused by drinking too much alcohol but they won’t realise until its too late. Alcohol liver disease can be a silent killer, with no symptoms until significant damage has been done.
Liver disease is on the increase in the UK. Death rates linked to alcoholic liver disease have risen by over two-thirds (69%) in the last 30 years and by 11% since 2005 alone. This makes alcohol one of the most common causes of death, along with smoking and high blood pressure.
Areas in Hampshire have some of the highest rates of deaths from liver cirrhosis, exceeding national averages, and this has been steadily increasing over the last few years. At Queen Alexandra Hospital, which serves Portsmouth and the surrounding towns and boroughs, the number of people admitted with complications of liver cirrhosis has doubled in under 4 years. The vast majority of these cases are related to alcohol.
Why love your liver?
Your liver has over 500 different functions. Especially important functions are:
- Aiding digestion
- Extracting nutrients
- Breaking down harmful drugs and poisons, including alcohol
- Fighting infection
With so many key functions, your liver is essential for life. If it becomes severely damaged and starts to fail, almost every part of your body will be affected.
Put your liver in the spotlight and take our alcohol health check.
Get more information on how to guard against liver disease or for help and advice on reducing your drinking.
Causes of liver disease
Love Your Liver and Live Longer
Who can help?
