A scanning scheme carried out this year found 18% of heavy drinkers had undiagnosed advanced liver fibrosis or cirrhosis â tissue thickening or scarring
GPs should offer free liver checks to halt a tide of harmful drinking, a report says.
Booze-related deaths have surged since Covid but routine, five-minute tests to measure liver damage are not currently widely available on the NHS. A scanning scheme in Leicestershire this year found 18% of heavy drinkers had undiagnosed advanced liver fibrosis or cirrhosis â tissue thickening or scarring.
Julie Bass, of the charity Turning Point which carried out the scheme, said early detection of liver disease was key reducing behaviour related to alcohol. She said:”Alcohol causes significant and increasing harm to individuals, families and communities. The earlier we can identify liver disease, the earlier we can support individuals to reduce harmful behaviour related to alcohol.
“The scale of harm caused by alcohol suggests this issue should be a national priority.” Warning signs of drink-related liver disease, such as yellowing skin, can take years to develop. Alcohol-related deaths in 2021 hit a record 9,641, 7.4% up on 2020, and in a year cost the NHS £1.16billion in hospital admissions.