Hepatic steatosis, more commonly called fatty liver, refers to conditions that involve a buildup of fats in the liver, such as:
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is not caused by consumption of alcohol
- Nonalcoholic fatty liver (NAFL): there is fat buildup in the liver, but it is not inflamed
- Nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH): there is fat buildup in the liver, and it is inflamed
- Alcohol-related fatty liver disease is caused by excessive consumption of alcohol
Nonalcoholic hepatic steatosis is treated by addressing medical conditions that are often associated with NASH:
- Weight loss in patients who are overweight or obese
- `Hepatic steatosis may be cured if patients have a sustained weight loss of 10% of their body weight
- Manage blood sugar in patients who have diabetes
- Don’t smoke
- Avoid alcohol, which can stress the liver
- If a certain medication may cause nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a doctor may switch medications (never stop taking a prescribed medication without first talking to your doctor)
Alcohol-related hepatic steatosis is treated with:
- Abstinence from alcohol
- Nutrition therapy
- Medications to help reduce liver inflammation
- Steroid treatment with prednisolone is usually the first-line medication
- Pentoxifylline, if steroids don’t work
- Liver transplant for patients with advanced alcoholic cirrhosis
What Are Symptoms of Hepatic Steatosis?
Most people with nonalcoholic and alcoholic hepatic steatosis have no signs or symptoms.
Signs and symptoms in early stages of alcoholic hepatic steatosis may include:
- Tiredness
- Aches in the upper right side of the abdomen
Alcoholic hepatic steatosis can progress to more severe forms including alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis (scarring) of the liver.
Symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis include:
- Nausea
- Vomiting
- Abdominal pain
- Loss of appetite
- Weight loss
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Liver tenderness
- Enlarged liver (hepatomegaly)
- Malnutrition
Symptoms of cirrhosis include those of alcoholic hepatitis, as well as:
- Fluid in the abdomen (ascites)
- Bleeding from veins in the esophagus (esophageal varices)
- High blood pressure in the liver (portal hypertension)
- Confusion
- Behavior changes
- Enlarged spleen
What Causes Hepatic Steatosis?
Alcohol-related hepatic steatosis is caused by excessive consumption of alcohol.
The cause of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is unknown but it occurs more often in people with certain conditions, such as:
- Overweight/obesity
- Diabetes
- High blood sugar (hyperglycemia)
- High cholesterol/high blood triglyceride levels
- Insulin resistance
- Certain medicines
- Amiodarone (Corderone, Pacerone)
- Tamoxifen (Nolvadex, Tamone)
- Perhexiline maleate (Pexhid)
- Steroids (e.g., prednisone, hydrocortisone)
- Methotrexate (Trexall)
- Valproic acid (Depakote)
- Synthetic estrogens
- Certain pesticides have also been linked to NASH
- Pregnancy
- Quick weight loss
- Genetics
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https://www.uptodate.com/contents/nonalcoholic-fatty-liver-disease-the-basics?search=fatty%20liver&source=search_result&selectedTitle=1~150&usage_type=default&display_rank=1
https://liverfoundation.org/for-patients/about-the-liver/diseases-of-the-liver/alcohol-related-liver-disease/
https://www.northshore.org/healthy-you/fatty-liver-disease-can-be-reversed--cured/