Fatty Liver Disease Treatments, News and Developments
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Of all pathologies of the liver, liver cirrhosis is one of the most dangerous. A
potentially life-
Symptoms
In its early stages, cirrhosis of the liver is often asymptomatic. When early symptoms
do occur, they usually include one or more of the following: fatigue, swelling of
the upper abdomen, jaundice, dry mouth and thirst, and discoloring of patches of
skin.
Diagnosis
Aside from these symptoms, which may or may not be present, cirrhosis may first be
indicated by a blood test revealing elevated liver enzymes. The same blood test result,
however, often accompanies much less serious liver conditions such as fatty liver
(which may also be an early sign of cirrhosis). Scanning with medical imaging technology
such as ultrasound or MRI may reveal growth of abnormal tissues or liver inflammation.
The presence of these indicators calls for a biopsy to determine the specific nature
of the problem, particularly when a known risk factor for cirrhosis, such as alcohol
abuse or obesity, is present.
Continued below....
Causes and Risk Factors
Cirrhosis of the liver can arise from a number of different causes. One common cause
of cirrhosis is severe alcohol abuse over a number of years. (As with most liver
diseases, a distinction is made between alcoholic and non-
Besides alcohol abuse, cirrhosis can arise as a complication of fatty
liver disease or another liver disorder such as hepatitis, with chronic infectious
hepatitis being particularly likely to produce cirrhosis as a complication. Obesity
is a major risk factor for developing the disease. So is type II diabetes. Liver
cirrhosis can also arise more rarely from autoimmune disorders, various hereditary
factors, and cystic fibrosis.
The most significant risk factors for developing cirrhosis
of the liver are alcohol abuse, obesity, and type II diabetes.
Statistics
Cirrhosis and other severe liver disease was the 10th leading cause of death in
men and the 12th in women in the United States as of 2001; more recent statistics
are expected to be worse, given the increase in non-
Stages
Cirrhosis progresses in stages. Four stages are recognized by doctors. In stage
one, the disease may be asymptomatic or have mild symptoms such as those noted above.
Tests reveal the presence of swelling and abnormal growth of tissues. In the second
stage, the abnormal growth hardens and becomes fibrous and rigid. This condition
is called fibrosis, which is a liver disease in itself and can occur without a diagnosis
of cirrhosis as well as being a description of cirrhosis in its second stage.
In
third-
Stage four cirrhosis is characterized by severe impairment
of liver function. The prognosis is terminal. A liver transplant must be performed
if the patient is to survive.
Treatment
Treatment of cirrhosis, except in the fourth stage, involves attempting to stop
the progression of the disease by removing the cause of the illness. It's important
for that reason that the cause be correctly identified.
Liver damage resulting from
cirrhosis is irreversible, but may be arrested by correcting the cause of the condition.
If the cirrhosis is alcoholic in origin, the treatment is to eliminate alcohol abuse.
If it is non-
Cirrhosis of the liver does
not exist in isolation. All of the causes of the disease have other negative consequences
for health as well. The lifestyle changes necessary to treat cirrhosis therefore
often result in significant improvement in overall health.
Liver Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis of the Liver Video
| Hepatic Steatosis |
| Alcohol Liver |
| Cirrhosis stages |
| Liver Failure Stages |
| Alk Phos |
| AST |
| Elevated ALT |
| Transaminase |
| SGOT |
| Transaminitis |
| Hemangioma |
| Hepatomegaly |
| Liver Cirrhosis Bible Review |
| Fatty Liver Diet Guide Review |