Liver disease leading cause of alcohol-related deaths

Washington, Apr 24 (ANI): Liver disease is responsible for most of the alcohol-related deaths and illness, according to a Portugal study.

The new research showed that liver disease is the most prevalent cause of alcohol-related deaths, followed by car accidents and cancer.

Its showed that 3.8pct of all deaths in Portugal were related to alcohol consumption and account for a death toll of 4,054 people every year. 28.3pct of the people died of liver disease, followed by 26.2pct of the car accidents and 21 pct from different type of cancers.

Alcohol-related diseases account for 1.25 percent of health expenditure in Portugal.

According to researchers, the burden of alcohol-related diseases in Portugal is 5.0pct, which is higher than the global statistic estimated by the World Health Organization (WHO) of about 3.2pct.

"The results of the study confirm that alcohol is an important health risk factor that is particularly related to liver disease in Portugal," said lead researcher Professor Helena Cortez-Pinto.

"By quantifying the significant impact alcohol has on the nation's health, we highlight the need for effective strategies to promote lifestyle changes and moderate alcohol consumption to reduce death rates, the incidence of liver disease and related costs to the healthcare system," she added.

The findings were presented at Annual Meeting of the European Association for the Study of Liver in Copenhagen, Denmark. (ANI)