How does cirrohsis of the liver and acute alcoholic hepatitus relate to one another?

One leads to other: Alcoholic hepatitis is an inflammatory process caused by excessive drinking, which is self-limited and if drinking doesn't continue, will heal completely in most cases. If excessive drinking continues, multiple episodes of alcoholic hepatitis (at least in genetically susceptible people) leads to scarring, which when it is severe, is cirrhosis. Severe alcoholic hepatitis can be fatal on its own.