Cirrhosis – Liver Damage

Cirrhosis is a liver disease which causes liver damage and malfunction due to chronic injury. It is mostly caused by hepatitis B and C, alcoholic liver disease or fatty liver disease or is idiopathic which means the cause is unknown. It is characterized by the replacement of liver tissues by scar tissues which lead to loss of liver function.

Etymologically, cirrhosis has a Greek derivation meaning yellowish colors of diseased liver. This disease is the 12th leading death cause resulting in 27000 deaths per year.

Scar tissues partially block the blood flow and impair the liver’s ability to process nutrients, hormones and drugs, absorbing fats by producing bile, controlling infections, production of blood clotting regulation proteins and removing toxins and bacteria from the blood. Healthy liver generally regenerates cells and replaces them but with a diseased liver, cells cannot be effectively replaced.

Cirrhosis symptoms may be weight loss, itching, nausea, weakness, loss of appetite, fatigue, vomiting, spider veins or abdominal pain and bloating. There may be some complications caused like ascites and edema, portal hypertension, bruising and bleeding, jaundice, sensitivity to medications, insulin resistance, gallstones, liver cancer and other problems.

Hospitalization may be necessary for cirrhosis with complications. A liver transplant is considered when complications of cirrhosis cannot be controlled by treatment. The treatment of cirrhosis can be done by nutritious diet, avoiding alcohol and oral antibiotics.