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SOME THINGS WE MAY NEED TO KNOW ABOUT LIVER CIRRHOSIS

Cirrhosis of the liver is a serious medical issue in India.A chronic liver illness that progresses,

hepatic cirrhosis. Histologically, it is indicated by a disease that alters the normal architecture of

the liver and is widespread, fibrosing, and nodular. According to the most recent WHO statistics,

which were published in 2017, liver disease deaths in India accounted for 2.95% of all fatalities

and 18.3% of cirrhosis deaths worldwide. Hepatitis B, C, and alcohol are common causes of liver

cirrhosis, a serious health issue that affects people all over the world. In Upper Assam, cirrhosis

of the liver is most frequently brought on by alcohol consumption, followed by hepatitis B and

C. More than 60% of cirrhotic patients fell within the 40–59 age range. Household

overcrowding, limited water supply, and poor sanitation in these places are factors that aid in the

spread of the virus among young children.

Rising rates of obesity, Type 2 diabetes, and metabolic syndrome, a group of conditions that

include abdominal obesity, high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, and triglyceride levels and

can raise a person's risk of heart disease and stroke, among others, have been of grave concern

among the Indian population. Self-medication without a prescription is a widespread practice

among the general public and causes severe liver failure in many nations, including the United

States. As a result, it is crucial that the general public receives comprehensive drug education,

including knowledge of the negative effects of self-medication and the need for a prescription

before medications can be released. A common liver ailment called non-alcoholic fatty liver

disease can advance to cirrhosis and associated implications. Losing weight and encouraging

exercise are the recommended treatments for fatty liver disease. Therefore, patient knowledge is

essential to enhancing quality of life in chronic liver disease.

Numerous disorders and diseases of the liver harm healthy liver cells, leading to cell death and

inflammation. Cell repair comes next, and the end outcome of the repair process is tissue

Chronic alcohol, sugar, or fatty diet usage causes the liver to begin shrinking over time, a

condition known as cirrhosis of the liver. A severe chronic diffuse liver disease called

cirrhosis can be fatal because it causes a considerable loss of liver cells, fibrosis, and nodule

formation.

Toxins cannot be removed from the circulation by a liver damaged by cirrhosis, but a healthy

liver is capable of doing so. These poisons can impact the brain and impair mental clarity and

attention if they are not cleared. Hepatic encephalopathy can eventually cause

unconsciousness or inability to respond.

scarring. The scar tissue reduces the liver's capacity to handle nutrients, hormones, medicines,

and natural toxins and limits blood flow through the liver (poisons). Additionally, it reduces the

liver's ability to produce proteins and other chemicals. Over time, cirrhosis prevents the liver

from functioning normally. Cirrhosis in its advanced stages is fatal.

Hepatic cirrhosis is not cancer. However, cirrhosis affects the majority of those with liver cancer.

People run a higher chance of developing liver cancer if he or she has cirrhosis. Hepatitis B and

C frequently result in cirrhosis, which increases the risk of liver cancer in those who have them.

Cirrhosis, which raises the risk of liver cancer, can result from any cause of liver illness.

Having a diagnosis of cirrhosis of the liver doesn’t mean that have an immediately fatal

condition.  But when cirrhosis worsens, additional scarring develops, and liver function keeps

deteriorating. The stage of the condition will determine your cirrhosis symptoms. Early on,

person might not exhibit any signs. If we do experience symptoms, some of them may be generic

and readily confused with those of a wide range of other conditions. The following are some of

the earliest indications and symptoms of cirrhosis: nausea, fever, a sense of weakness or

exhaustion, and unexpected weight loss.

The majority of liver disease sufferers complain stomach pain. Person’s right upper abdomen,

just below your ribs, may feel sharp or dull throbbing when your liver is hurting. In addition to

swelling from fluid retention, cirrhosis-related liver and spleen enlargement can produce

generalized abdominal pain and discomfort. More severe signs include: skin and eye

discoloration in the yellow range (jaundice), bewilderment and difficulties thinking properly,

easily bruising or bleeding, extremely itchy skin, and stomach edema (ascites),leg or pedal

swelling (edema).

Cirrhosis is classified into four stages that include:

ï‚· Stage I: Steatosis. The first stage of liver disease is characterized by inflammation of the bile

duct or liver.

ï‚· Stage II: Scarring (fibrosis) of the liver due to inflammation.

ï‚· Stage III: Cirrhosis.

ï‚· Stage IV: Liver failure or advanced liver disease or hepatic failure.

Patients with compensated cirrhosis may live longer than 12 years on average. The prognosis is

poorer for patients with decompensate cirrhosis than for those with compensated cirrhosis; the

average survival without transplantation is about two years.

Hepatologists are medical doctors who diagnose, treat, and manage problems associated with

your liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, and pancreas. Liver transplantation is the curable treatment

option for liver cirrhosis. Diet also has a vital role to control the disease progress.

Due to the patients' several issues, including jaundice, a propensity for bleeding, an inflamed

body, and abdominal swelling from water retention in their stomachs, liver diseases present a

variety of difficulties. Some people may experience a pre-coma. Liver failure damages several

systems, including the brain, heart, and kidneys, making post-operative care and transplantation

extremely challenging. Repeat liver transplants are not necessary. Once transplanted, a liver is a

robust organ that can survive a lifetime. The idea that multiple liver transplants are necessary to

get improved liver function is untrue. Re-transplanting the liver is a relatively rare occurrence. In

general, about 75% of people who undergo liver transplant live for at least five years.

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