What is cirrhosis of the liver?

Cirrhosis of the liver develops over time as a consequence of illness or chemical-induced liver damage. Your body tries to repair the damage as the injuries destroy liver cells. Existing cells become irritated, and scar tissue forms, jeopardising the structure of the liver and impairing its function. Cirrhosis may develop in your liver as a result of a disease or poisons, such as alcohol. Cirrhosis may be caused by a liver processing problem or an autoimmune disease, which causes the body’s defence systems to attack liver tissue. Although there are treatments to reduce the scarring and enhance function, the scarring caused by liver cirrhosis is irreversible.

What is the therapy for cirrhosis of the liver?

Cirrhosis treatment varies based on the degree of the liver malfunction and may include: • Preventing additional liver damage • Treating cirrhosis complications • Preventing or detecting liver cancer early • Liver transplant • Eating a well-balanced diet and taking a multivitamin daily Patients with PBC who have trouble absorbing fat-soluble vitamins may need extra vitamin D and K.

• Avoiding liver-damaging substances (including alcohol).
• Alcohol should be avoided by anybody with cirrhosis. Abstinence from alcohol improves liver function in the majority of people with alcohol-induced cirrhosis. Abstinence from alcohol may significantly decrease liver damage and delay the development of cirrhosis in individuals with chronic hepatitis B and C.
• Staying away from nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications (NSAIDs) (NSAIDs, such as ibuprofen or naproxen). NSAIDs may cause cirrhosis patients’ liver and kidney function to deteriorate.
• Using antiviral medicines to eradicate the hepatitis C virus. Drug therapy is not appropriate for all individuals with cirrhosis caused by persistent viral hepatitis. During therapy, some individuals may develop severe liver dysfunction and/or unacceptable adverse effects. Treatment for viral hepatitis must be decided on an individual basis after consultation with physicians who specialise in the treatment of liver disorders (hepatologists).
• Removing blood from individuals with hemochromatosis in order to lower iron levels and avoid additional liver damage. In Wilson disease, medicines may be used to enhance copper excretion in the urine, lowering copper levels in the body and preventing additional liver damage.
• Suppressing the immune system with medicines like prednisone and azathioprine (Imuran) to reduce autoimmune hepatitis liver inflammation.
• Ursodeoxycholic acid (UDCA), commonly known as ursodiol, is a bile acid formulation used to treat individuals with PBC (Actigall). An study that pooled the findings of multiple clinical studies found that UDCA improved survival in PBC patients over the course of four years of treatment. UDCA also helped to prevent the onset of portal hypertension. Despite its obvious advantages, UDCA therapy just delays the development of PBC rather than curing it. Colchicine (Colcrys) and methotrexate (Rheumatrex, Trexall) are two more medicines that may help certain people with PBC.
• Immunizing individuals with cirrhosis against hepatitis A and B infection in order to avoid severe liver damage. There are no vaccinations available to protect against hepatitis C at this time. What kind of doctor treats liver cirrhosis?

Hepatology is the study of liver disease, and in the treatment of liver cirrhosis, a liver specialist or hepatologist will most likely be part of your medical team. Gastroenterology has a speciality called hepatology (GI doctor). The liver is the body’s largest internal organ, and hepatology studies acute and chronic hepatitis, viral hepatitis, cirrhosis, genetic and metabolic liver diseases and their complications, liver cancer, liver transplantation, drug metabolism (which is heavily dependent on the liver), and liver immunology.