| Liver disease killing over 40% more young people |
25 November 2008 @13:45:51 |
Over 40% more young people aged 25-29 have been killed by liver disease than in the previous year, according to statistics released by the Office for National Statistics, says the British Liver Trust today. Liver disease remains one of the top five killer diseases and the only one still on the rise.
The figures, just released for the year 2006, also show an increase in deaths from alcoholic liver disease of almost 7% - to 4,450. There is also more confirmation of the worsening picture with increased deaths from liver disease overall, up by 5.7% to 7,281. With liver cancer and other liver-related conditions included, 38 people die of liver disease each day.
“This is the progression of the epidemic we and the medical profession have been predicting for several years. We continue to ignore the signs of developing liver disease in younger and younger people and earlier deaths are now reality,” warns Imogen Shillito, the British Liver Trust’s Director of Information and Education.
“These figures reinforce our call for urgent work to improve early diagnosis and encourage prevention and an integrated National Service Framework to support the NHS and tackle this killer disease,” she added.
Liver damage is often silent, taking up to 15 years to develop, but when symptoms appear it is often too late. Hepatologists (liver specialist doctors) are regularly seeing people in their 20s and 30s with cirrhosis caused by alcohol in much higher numbers, cases they would in the past have seen in much older people, in their 40s and 50s.
“By normalising increased consumption of alcohol in even the very young, being too slow to tackle the problems of obesity in adults and children and failing to tackle hepatitis infections, particularly hepatitis B which can easily be prevented with a vaccine, we are turning a blind eye to this potentially fatal cocktail,” she said.
Click here to view Imogen Shillito, Director of Information and Education discuss the issues click here
Click here to view Louise Rhymes describe how her 24-year-old daughter Stacey died from a long-term alcohol abuse related illness.
Download audio file of Imogen Shillito, Director of Information and Education at the British Liver Trust calling for increased alcohol prices in supermarkets and better education on health risks
Download audio file of Alison Rogers, Chief Executive at the British Liver Trust discussing the issue
Ends
For further information please contact:
Sonia Aarons or Imogen Shillito Phone: 01425 481 320
Out of hours: Please contact Imogen Shillito on 07939 960420
Email: pressoffice@britishlivertrust.org.uk
Email: Imogen.shillito@britishlivertrust.org.uk
Web: www.britishlivertrust.org.uk
British Liver Trust,
2 Southampton Road,
Ringwood, BH24 1HY
Editor’s Note:
1. The British Liver Trust is Britain’s only national liver disease charity for adults. We work to improve the lives of people suffering from liver disease with key roles in education, support and research.
2. Liver disease is one of the UK’s five ‘big killers’ and the only one on the rise. The Trust is working urgently to encourage prevention and investment in treatment and care for people with liver disease. Much of the increasing incidence of liver disease stems from lifestyle trends – relating to alcohol, obesity and viral hepatitis. However, liver disease has many other causes including genetics, abnormalities in the immune system and even the medicines we take. The Trust is working to raise awareness about the liver and combat the stigma associated with liver disease.
3. Mortality from Diseases of the liver: Male 4,542 Female 2,739. Of these 31 men and 25 women were aged 25 to 29 and 83 men and 46 women were aged 30 to 34. Alcoholic Liver disease: Male 2,950 Female 1,500 Of these 26 men and 18 women were aged 25 to 29 and 66 men and 29 women were aged 30 to 34. The full report can be found at www.statistics.gov.uk See Table 5.11 codings ICD-10 K70-K77
4. The Trust provides a comprehensive website www.britishlivertrust.org.uk, free medical helpline – 0800 652 7330, and distributes a wide range of information leaflets to individuals and healthcare professionals. In addition, the Trust is a contact point for support groups nationwide, as well as coordinating funding and providing support for research. |