Modern terminology in the definition of alcoholic liver damage: new approaches to interaction with patients

Recently, alcoholic damage has become one of the main causes of death from the liver diseases. The most important risk factors for the development of alcoholic liver disease (ALD) include the duration and amount of alcohol consumed. However, concomitant liver disease, obesity, metabolic syndrome, cigarette smoking, and female gender also increase the overall risk of ALD developing. Conditions related to alcohol consumption have various manifestations: from hepatosteatosis to severe acute hepatitis or its chronic course, cirrhosis and liver cancer. Historically, terms with an emphasis on the association with alcohol were used to describe these disorders, which are now considered stigmatizing. Stigma seriously affects such patients, leading to discrimination, reduced health care visits, and limited resource allocation, ultimately impairing clinical outcomes.In this regard, the medical community promotes modern terminology with an individual‑oriented approach. It is recommended that instead of terms that can be viewed as condemning, to use more neutral ones using sensitive wordings, such as «related to alcohol» or «associated with alcohol». The article provides modern terminology, which is recommended for the use in determining alcoholic liver damage.At the same time, it must be recognized that in addition to using the «right terms» it is important to create the «right environment» for people with alcohol consumption‑associated disorders and liver disease so that they can get the help they need. It is important that doctors, medical staff, and research coordinators interact with such patients in an impartial and non‑stigmatizing manner. Creating a supportive clinical and research environment is critical for the effective aids to the patients with ALD.