[Alcoholic liver disease: new insights into an undeniable challenge and strategies for prevention and treatment].

Long-term and excessive alcohol consumption is metabolized in the liver while simultaneously causing liver injury, ultimately leading to alcoholic liver disease (ALD). With the increasing consumption of alcoholic beverages among the general population, ALD has become one of the major liver diseases in China. The progression of ALD encompasses stages including hepatic steatosis, hepatitis, fibrosis, cirrhosis, and hepatocellular carcinoma. In the absence of effective pharmacotherapies for ALD, current management strategies should prioritize early diagnosis and timely reinforcement of alcohol abstinence to prevent disease progression to cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. Overlooked drinking history frequently results in missed diagnosis of ALD; therefore, greater attention should be paid to the systematic collection of long-term drinking history in clinical practice. ALD is closely associated with lifestyle factors, and its prevention and control require not only professional medical guidance and governmental public health support, but also rely on public dissemination of medical knowledge and gradual shifts in drinking culture. Furthermore, existing research achievements in ALD should be accelerated in their translation into clinical diagnostic and therapeutic strategies as well as related health industry applications, so as to promote disease prevention, early recognition, and standardized management.