Commentary - Der Pharmacia Lettre ( 2021) Volume 13, Issue 12
Cirrhosis is a late-stage liver condition in which functional liver tissue is replaced by scar tissue causing permanent damage to the liver. Scar tissue inhibits liver's ability to function normally. The scar tissue reduces the liver's ability to metabolize nutrients, hormones, medicines, and natural toxins by blocking blood flow through the liver (poisons). Loss of appetite, feeling weak, nausea, fever, and weight loss are all early indications and symptoms of cirrhosis. Excessive alcohol consumption (alcohol-related liver disease caused by long-term chronic use of alcohol), chronic viral infections of the liver (hepatitis B and hepatitis C), fatty liver associated with obesity and diabetes are the most common causes of cirrhosis of the liver. Non-alcoholic ketoacidosis is the primary treatment for this condition.
Cirrhosis can be caused by anything that destroys the liver and other factors include inherited disorders such as Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (build-up of an abnormal protein in the liver), hemochromatosis is a condition in which the body's iron levels are abnormally high (excess iron stored in the liver),wilson's illness (excess copper stored in the liver), cystic fibrosis is a disease that affects the lungs (sticky, thick mucus builds up in the liver), glycogen storage illnesses (a condition in which the liver is unable to store or break down glycogen, a type of sugar), autoimmune hepatitis (in which your body's immune system assaults and damages healthy liver tissue), diseases of the liver's bile ducts (tubes that convey bile from the liver to different regions of the digestive system bile aids fat digestion), biliary cholangitis (bile ducts become injured, then inflamed, then permanently damaged), sclerosing cholangitis (primary inflammation of the bile ducts leads to scarring and narrowing of the ducts and build-up of bile in the liver), biliary atresia is a condition in which the bile ducts are obstructed.
Complications
Cirrhosis of the liver has numerous complications. Because cirrhosis requires years to develop some of these problems may be the first signs and symptoms patients detect. The most common serious complication is portal hypertension. Portal hypertension is characterized by an Increase in the pressure in portal vein (the large blood vessel that carries blood from the digestive organs to the liver). Cirrhosis causes a blockage of blood flow through your liver resulting in an increase in pressure. Veins in esophagus, stomach, or intestines can become enlarged when blood flow through veins is partially blocked (a condition called varies). As the pressure in these veins rises they can bleed or burst resulting in severe internal bleeding.
Hypersplenism is a condition that causes the spleen to become overactive. As a result of this disorder blood cells are destroyed quickly and prematurely. Cirrhosis raises the chances of contracting and fighting dangerous illnesses like bacterial peritonitis (infection of the tissue that lines the inner wall of your abdomen). Malnutrition is caused by the liver's inability to metabolize nutrients. This is made more difficult by a damaged liver, which results in weight loss and general weakness.
Cirrhosis of the liver is present in the majority of persons who develop liver cancer; Liver failure is caused by a variety of diseases and situations, including cirrhosis of the liver.
