Life Factors Can Lead to Alcohol Consumption Post Liver Transplant

Life Factors Can Lead to Alcohol Consumption Post Liver Transplant

Throughout the addiction and treatment industries, it is understood that an individual never truly recovers from alcoholism. An addiction to the substance can be overcome, but the individual is always susceptible to relapse. This can be an issue for those who need a liver transplant due to excessive alcohol use.

A recent Science Daily release focused on the importance of periods of abstinence and addiction treatment before transplantation. As alcohol disorders are known to reoccur in addicts after transplantation is complete, it is important to identify those at highest risk of alcohol consumption after the transplant is complete to try and prevent relapse.

Researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center studied data collected on alcohol consumption occurring after a liver transplant. Interestingly, when compared with the general population, alcohol relapse rates are low among transplant patients. Out of the 208 patients examined, 54 percent reported no alcohol use after surgery.

For those patients who did return to alcohol consumption post surgery, certain patterns were evident. Two significant patterns emerged among these individuals. In one pattern, consumption of alcohol occurred early after the transplant and the individual quickly lost control over drinking habits. The other pattern found patients returning to heavy drinking years after surgery.

Researchers found that the amount of time an individual is sober prior to surgery is the most powerful element used to predict the likelihood of returning to alcohol. The risk of alcohol use is also increased when stresses occur for the individual immediately after surgery. The individuals who did return to alcohol had more problems overall, including worse health, increased stress, heightened pain and less energy.