Excessive alcoholic consumption (Chapter 32) causes alcoholic liver disease
and can significantly worsen other liver disorders such as viral hepatitis
(Chapter 151) and hemochromatosis (Chapter 219). Although most individuals
who consume alcohol do not consume it excessively and do not
develop any physical or social consequences, some alcoholics consume sufficient
alcohol and, presumably owing to other predisposing factors, develop
alcoholic liver disease. Alcoholic liver disease is a spectrum of chronic liver
diseases, ranging from alcoholic fatty liver to alcoholic hepatitis and
cirrhosis.