Liver Cirrhosis: Why early detection is the key to survival
India, July 27 -- Liver cirrhosis is a condition which is usually an end result of liver damage due to a variety of causes.
Any agent that produces persistent liver injury over months or years can result in liver cirrhosis. Common causes for cirrhosis include long-standing hepatitis B and hepatitis C virus infection, as well as long term alcohol abuse. With modern sedentary lifestyles (lack of physical activity and intake of high calorie food) however, fatty liver disease is fast becoming the most common cause for the condition across the globe.
During cirrhosis, the liver sustains scarring, leading to structural alterations. As time passes, the liver also begins to lose its function. As the disease advances, the patients present with complication such as vomiting of blood, fluid accumulation in the abdomen, various stages of coma and liver cancer.
It is important to understand that cirrhosis may remain asymptomatic till it reaches the advanced stage, when it may be too late to manage effectively. However, if detected early, it can be reversed or treated, provided we are able to find and treat the reversible root cause. For example, treating Hepatitis B and C can reverse cirrhosis caused by these viruses, stopping alcohol intake can help reverse related cirrhosis and timely control of diabetes and obesity can lead to reversal of cirrhosis due to fatty liver.
For effective management of cirrhosis, it is important that we actively look for the presence of cirrhosis in high risk individuals, even before the symptoms develop.
When it presents with symptoms, it may already be too late. High risk individuals are individuals with long term diabetes, those who are obese, have harmful alcohol use or are IV drug abusers, partake in unsafe sexual practices or have family members already suffering from liver diseases. Screening can also be done with liver function tests (blood test) and a fibroscan of the liver. Further, if one looks closely at these risk factors, one will realize that most cases of liver cirrhosis are preventable.
The following steps can go a long way in reducing the burden of cirrhosis: safe injection practices, use of safe blood and blood products, educational campaigns limiting alcohol use in the society and lifestyle changes which encourage healthy diet and regular exercise, campaigns highlighting safe sexual practices and promotion of universal hepatitis B vaccination.
So while liver cirrhosis in the end stages can cause life threatening complications, sometimes it is only treatable by transplantation; active detection at early stages with treatment of underlying cause can arrest the progression of cirrhosis. At a societal and public health level, all efforts should be made not only for early detection but also for prevention of this serious condition.htc...
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