Posted by Cirrhosis is a serious liver disease that happens when healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue over time. This scarring can lead to liver failure if not managed properly. Cirrhosis is a growing health issue around the world due to its link with alcohol use, viral infections, and lifestyle diseases. Understanding how it starts, how it’s diagnosed, and how it’s treated can help improve patients’ lives.
The main causes of cirrhosis include long-term hepatitis B or C infections, heavy alcohol use, and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), which is often connected to obesity and diabetes (Tsochatzis et al., 2014). Alcohol-related liver damage is still a major issue, especially in Western countries, but NAFLD is becoming more common as rates of obesity and diabetes increase.
In the early stages, cirrhosis might not cause any symptoms. As it gets worse, people may develop signs like fluid buildup in the belly, jaundice, confusion, or bleeding in the digestive tract. Doctors might also notice physical signs like enlarged veins, red palms, or a swollen liver and spleen (Rubel et al., 2011).
Doctors used to rely mostly on liver biopsies to diagnose cirrhosis. While biopsies are still helpful, newer, noninvasive tests are now widely used. These include imaging tools like FibroScan, which checks liver stiffness, and blood tests that measure liver function and damage (Tsochatzis et al., 2014). These tools help doctors track liver damage safely and easily.
Treating cirrhosis means stopping or slowing the damage and managing complications. This could include quitting alcohol, losing weight, and managing conditions like diabetes. For people with viral hepatitis, antiviral medications can be effective. Problems like ascites are usually treated with low-salt diets and diuretics. Confusion caused by toxins in the blood is treated with medications like lactulose and rifaximin (Rubel et al., 2011). People with enlarged veins in their esophagus may need medication or procedures to prevent bleeding. Regular screening for liver cancer with imaging and blood tests is also recommended every six months.
In cases where the liver is badly damaged and complications are severe, liver transplantation may be the best option. Transplant decisions are often based on a score called MELD, which helps predict how urgently someone needs a transplant (Tsochatzis et al., 2014).
Preventing cirrhosis is key. This means promoting safe alcohol use, treating hepatitis infections early, encouraging healthy lifestyles, and offering support programs to help people reduce harmful drinking. Programs like motivational therapy have shown promise in helping people with alcohol problems stick to treatment (Heather et al., 2009).
In summary, cirrhosis is a long-term liver condition that can become life-threatening if left untreated. Early detection and treatment, along with public health efforts to reduce alcohol use and obesity, are important for controlling this disease and improving quality of life.
(Top is a healthy liver and bottom is a liver with Cirrhosis)
References
Heather, N., Adamson, S. J., Raistrick, D., & Slegg, G. P. (2009). Initial preference for drinking goal in the treatment of alcohol problems: I. Baseline differences between abstainers and nonabstainers and influence on treatment outcome. Journal of Substance Use, 14(2), 86–99. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1465-3362.2009.00153.x
Rubel, D. M., Chong, R., & Brown, S. A. (2011). Cirrhosis: Diagnosis, management, and prevention. American Family Physician, 84(12), 1353–1359. https://www.aafp.org/pubs/afp/issues/2011/1215/p1353.html
Tsochatzis, E. A., Bosch, J., & Burroughs, A. K. (2014). Liver cirrhosis. Journal of Hepatology, 60(1), 174–185. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhep.2013.06.013