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Normal |
Abnormal |
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Many agents
are toxic to the liver and cause it injury, the most common
of which is alcohol. Numerous liver diseases also cause
injury to the liver. When the liver is repeatedly injured
over time, it becomes scarred and damaged. This is called
cirrhosis.
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- Many have no symptoms for long
periods
- Weakness
- Fatigue
- Abdominal pain
- Muscle Cramps
- Weight loss
- Appetite loss
- Impotence
- Nausea/vomiting (later in the
disease)
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- Enlarged Liver
- Enlarged breasts in men
- Broken blood vessels in spider
pattern
- Palms of hands are pink or
net-like in appearance
- Enlarged spleen
- Yellow skin or eyes
- Swollen abdomen
- Swollen legs
- Large bruised areas of skin
- Tremor
- Asterixis (special test with
hands)
- Speech difficulties
- Confusion
- Anemia
- Modestly elevated SGOT -- a liver
blood test
- Low albumin (protein) in blood
- Gamma globulin level is
increased
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- Abstinence from alcohol
- Vitamin supplementation
- If Ascites (abdominal
fluid) or edema (leg swelling) present:
- Dietary salt restriction
- Spironolactone (a "water pill")
- Lasix (a "water
pill")
- Large-volume paracentesis (fluid
in abdomen drained with a needle)
- Surgical shunt procedures (a
connection is placed between the abdominal fluid and veins
to continuously drain fluid)
- Mental changes
(encephalopathy)
- Protein restriction (60grams/day)
if mental changes (Encephalopathy)
- Lactulose or Neomycin
- Oxazepam for severe
agitation
- Vitamin K for bleeding problems
- Iron supplements for anemia
- Treatment of above complications as
they occur
- Liver transplant for severe,
irreversible disease
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Alcohol abuse is the most common cause of cirrhosis; therefore, moderate alcohol Consumption is the key for preventing alcohol-induced cirrhosis. For those predisposed to Alcoholism, abstinence is best. For other diseases, Hepatitis B vaccine is available for high-risk individuals (and is now commonly given as a childhood vaccine). In addition, Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C, and the
other causes above should be medically treated (see their
sections for more details) to prevent progression to
cirrhosis.
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