Are we drinking too much? New report shows rises in death due to Liver Disease

Today a new report warns that the number of people dying from liver disease in England is on the increase, with the most common factor for mortality being attributed to unhealthy lifestyles and consequently preventable.

The report “Deaths from liver disease: Implications for the end of life care in England” the first ever national report on the statistics published by the National End of Life Care Intelligence Network, shows that between 2001 and 2009 there has been a 25 percent rise in liver disease deaths (from 9,231 to 11,575 people).

Figures indicate that although the numbers of deaths from cancer, vascular and respiratory disease still remain significantly higher, liver disease disproportionately kills people at a much younger age.

Alarmingly 90 percent of people who die from liver disease are under 70 years old and more than 1 in 10 are in their 40s.  The report also highlights that more men (60 percent) than women (40 percent) die from liver disease.

Lifestyle and Liver disease

Although there are many reasons for liver disease, the most common cause is alcohol related.

The British Liver Trust says that a healthy liver should contain little or no fat.  Fatty liver, where the liver contains too much fat, is regarded as the most common forms of liver disease.  The effects of having fat in the liver over a long duration of time may lead to inflammation causing swelling (hepatitis) and then scarring (fibrosis).  Where the condition may be the result of excess alcohol, it is referred to as alcoholic liver disease.

Alcoholic liver disease is the most common and preventable type of liver disease.  It accounts for over a third of all liver disease deaths and kills 3,880 people annually.  The figure for men is considerably higher at 2,588 deaths compared to that of women 1,292 deaths.  Regionally, the report demonstrates that alcoholic liver disease death is most prevalent in the North West, South East and West Midlands.  However, for both male and female the highest mortality rate is in the North West, approximately double that of the lowest in the East of England.

The Chief Executive of Alcohol Concern, Eric Appleby, said: "This report shows that loss of life through alcoholic liver disease remains as big a problem as ever, with a worrying tendency for those with the highest deprivation to suffer most, leading to a distinct north/south divide.

Cause for Concern

Liver disease is regarded as a challenging area for public health.  With over 70 percent of people with liver disease dying in hospital, patients tend to be younger, from poor socio-economic backgrounds (although this is not always the case) and often come from either isolated or ethnically diverse subcultures.  Those dying of alcoholic liver disease may have mental health problems drug dependency issues, which could further isolate them socially.  Additionally, people may feel stigmatised by their disease because of its degenerative nature.

Professor Martin Lombard, National Clinical Director for Liver Disease, said: "The key drivers for increasing numbers of deaths from liver disease are all preventable, such as alcohol, obesity, hepatitis C and hepatitis B. We must focus our efforts and tackle this problem sooner rather than later."

What can you do?

One of the key objectives of the Government’s White Papers Liberating the NHS and Healthy Lives, Healthy People, was to reduce mortality in people under 75 years of age.

The report shows that death from liver disease can affect any one of us and is largely the result of our lifestyle.  Rises in alcohol consumption and obesity are clearly huge areas for concern.  Therefore, in order to tackle the issues and reduce mortality rates, advocates believe we need to address the underlying causes of liver disease.  It becomes essential that we help to educate people about the consequences of unhealthy living and ways to improve their lives, as well as, reaching out to the most deprived and isolated people in society.

Prof Julia Verne, lead author of the report and clinical lead for the National End of Life Care Intelligence Network, said: "It is crucial that commissioners and providers of health and social care services know the prevalence of liver disease in their local areas, so that more people can receive the care they need to allow them to die in the place of their choosing."

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