Trebling of chronic liver disease underlines alcohol's role in nation's ill-health

Published on Tuesday 23 February 2010 21:42

THE rate of chronic liver disease in Scotland has almost trebled in the past 15 years, according to official figures revealed yesterday.

A total of 9,072 people with the condition, which can be caused by drinking, were treated in hospital in 2008, and it also led to 1,059 deaths.

The rise comes at a time when many other European countries have seen falling rates of the disease and Scottish health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said the Scottish Government was determined to address Scotland's alcohol problem: "Scotland's love affair with drink is well-documented and we're taking radical and decisive action to tackle pocket-money prices which – as the World Health Organisation recognises – help to drive consumption and harm," she said.

The statistics also showed an average of 115 patients left hospital every day last year after being treated for alcohol misuse. Figures showed there were 41,922 cases where people were treated in hospital for a drink-related condition in 2008-9 – down from the previous year but 9 per cent more than in 2004-5.

Over the year, a total of 28,381 people – including 270 who were under the age of 15 – were seen by medics for this reason.

The figures also revealed alcohol-related discharges had increased over the past five years for almost every age group. In 2008-9, 2,145 cases involved those aged 20 to 24 – up by just over a third from the total of 1,592 in 2004-5. Over the same period alcohol-related discharges for those aged 30 to 34 increased by 22 per cent to 2,469 while there was a slightly smaller increase in the number involving 35 to 39 year olds – up 19 per cent to 3,548.

The figures also showed there were 13,694 instances where people were treated in hospital for harmful use of alcohol, as well as 8,385 cases of acute intoxication, 4,762 cases of alcohol dependence and 5,286 cases involving alcohol psychoses.

In addition there were 6,761 cases where people were treated for alcoholic liver disease.

Labour health spokesman Dr Richard Simpson said the rise in rates of chronic liver disease was "extremely concerning" and Dr Brian Keighley, chairman of the BMA in Scotland, said the increase in chronic liver disease highlighted "the true human cost of alcohol misuse in Scotland".

He added: "Today's figures show a shocking rise in the death toll caused by a drinking culture that is out of control."