NEW YORK - Alcohol-related liver disease is the leading cause of death from excessive drinking. And while it is curable in the earliest stages, many people do not realise they have it until it is too late to reverse.

Annual deaths caused by the disease are on the rise in the United States, having climbed 39 per cent in recent years, according to new data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Death rates are highest in men and adults ages 50 to 64, though they are increasing more quickly among women and younger adults.