Lockdown takes a toll on liver

Moreover, according to gastroenterologists, normal drinkers turned binge drinkers over stress.

“With the entire physiological cycle changing and due to restricted movement, to deal with stress people have resorted to binge drinking triggering a rise in liver diseases,” said Dr M Sai Surendar, head, Emergency Medicine and Trauma, Fortis Hospital.

Symptoms of liver disease are loss of appetite, weight, sleep and yellow discolouration of skin, frequent infections, weak and low immune status, and fever. “When Covid  hits an alcoholic person, it might lead to higher mortality rate. 

During the past two years, liver diseases among binge drinkers have increased and the only way out is to stop alcohol consumption,” said professor Kani Shaikh Mohamed, head Of Medical Gastroenterology, Government Kilpauk Medical College.

Senior doctors at Kauvery Hospitals claimed that they have seen a 50% increase in the number of such patients coming to hospital. “During this pandemic, we have observed a lot of liver issues, mostly in middle-aged males who have been dealing with loss of jobs or business, work and home stress and so on. 

Violence, accidents and psychiatric issues have also increased due to binge drinking,” said Dr Elankumaran, Head, Liver Diseases & Transplantation Centre, Kauvery Hospitals.