Fatty liver (steatosis) is the initial and most common consequence of excessive alcohol ingestion. It is potentially reversible. Fatty liver is the accumulation of fat as large droplets of triglyceride. The liver usually enlarges.
Alcoholic hepatitis (steatohepatitis) is a combination of fatty liver, diffuse liver inflammation, and liver necrosis (often focal), all in various degrees of severity. Cirrhosis may be present as well.
Cirrhosis is advanced liver disease characterized by extensive fibrosis that disrupts the normal liver architecture. The amount of fat present varies. Alcoholic hepatitis may coexist.
Iron accumulation in the liver occurs in up to 10% of alcoholics with normal, fatty, or cirrhotic livers. Accumulation is not predicted by iron intake or body iron stores.
Symptoms and Signs
Symptoms match the stage and severity of disease. Symptoms generally become apparent in patients during their 30s; severe problems appear about a decade later.
Fatty liver usually causes no symptoms. In 1⁄3 of patients, the liver is enlarged, smooth, and occasionally tender.
Alcoholic hepatitis ranges from a mild, reversible illness to a life-threatening disease. In moderate cases, patients usually are malnourished and present with fatigue, fever, jaundice, right upper quadrant pain and tenderness. Their condition often deteriorates in the first few weeks of hospitalization.
Severe cases may involve jaundice, ascites, hypoglycemia, electrolyte abnormalities, hepatic insufficiency. Cirrhosis may cause symptoms ranging from minimal to those of alcoholic hepatitis or the complications of end-stage liver disease.
Commonly, portal hypertension (often with esophageal varices and upper GI bleeding, ascites, portal-systemic encephalopathy)
Sunday, February 17, 2008
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
Fatty Liver
Fatty liver is liver with buildup of fat in the liver cells. Although it can be benign (i.e. harmless), sometimes it may contribute to the development of more serious liver conditions, such as inflammation (hepatitis) and scarring of liver tissue (cirrhosis).
One of the causes of fatty liver could is alcohol consumption. It can occur with inflammation or liver cell damage. There is also a possibility of getting this problem without alcohol with the main causes being obesity and diabetes. Other causes may include pregnancy and medications such as corticosteroids.
Although fatty liver often produces no symptoms sometimes symptoms like fatigue, malaise or abdominal tenderness could be apparent. When fatty liver develops into a more serious condition, symptoms may include jaundice, weight loss and swelling (edema) in the legs and feet.
Treatment of fatty liver includes abstinence from alcohol losing weight with exercise. However, any cell death or scarring that results from untreated fatty liver disease is permanent and can impair liver function if severe (e.g., cirrhosis). Supplements such as vitamins E and C, milk thistle and omega-3 fatty acids could also help.
One of the causes of fatty liver could is alcohol consumption. It can occur with inflammation or liver cell damage. There is also a possibility of getting this problem without alcohol with the main causes being obesity and diabetes. Other causes may include pregnancy and medications such as corticosteroids.
Although fatty liver often produces no symptoms sometimes symptoms like fatigue, malaise or abdominal tenderness could be apparent. When fatty liver develops into a more serious condition, symptoms may include jaundice, weight loss and swelling (edema) in the legs and feet.
Treatment of fatty liver includes abstinence from alcohol losing weight with exercise. However, any cell death or scarring that results from untreated fatty liver disease is permanent and can impair liver function if severe (e.g., cirrhosis). Supplements such as vitamins E and C, milk thistle and omega-3 fatty acids could also help.
Saturday, August 25, 2007
When To Call A Professional
Call your doctor if you have any of the following symptoms of liver cancer:
Fatigue,Mild fever, A yellowing of skin and eyes (jaundice), Muscle or joint aches, Nausea, Dark colored urine, Vomiting, Loss of appetite, Abdominal pain or swelling.
Fatigue,Mild fever, A yellowing of skin and eyes (jaundice), Muscle or joint aches, Nausea, Dark colored urine, Vomiting, Loss of appetite, Abdominal pain or swelling.
Monday, August 20, 2007
Liver Disease Symptoms
Whether it is a disease of the gall bladder or the liver itself, jaundice is one of the main symptoms of liver disease. When the skin becomes jaundiced, there is most likely an issue with the Liver or Gall Bladder. Jaundice can either turn the skin yellow or orange depending on the type.
The whites of the eyes often turn yellow. Jaundice is the result of the liver not properly breaking down old blood and transforming it into bile. It is important to consult medical doctor to identify if the jaundice is being caused by acute hepatitis or severe infection in the gall bladder. Symptoms could last several weeks and they could include the following:
1) Flu like symptoms
2) Light coloured stool
3) Yellowing of the skin and eyes
4) Dark urine
5) Extreme fatigue
6) Nausea
7) Vomiting and abdominal pain
One should also take note that a Chronic Active carrier could continue to damage the liver. Symptoms of chronic liver disease include malaise, weight loss, loss of appetites, and often jaundice. Although passive carriers show no symptoms, they could infect others. Milk thistle is traditionally recommended by health care providers for chronic liver disease.
The whites of the eyes often turn yellow. Jaundice is the result of the liver not properly breaking down old blood and transforming it into bile. It is important to consult medical doctor to identify if the jaundice is being caused by acute hepatitis or severe infection in the gall bladder. Symptoms could last several weeks and they could include the following:
1) Flu like symptoms
2) Light coloured stool
3) Yellowing of the skin and eyes
4) Dark urine
5) Extreme fatigue
6) Nausea
7) Vomiting and abdominal pain
One should also take note that a Chronic Active carrier could continue to damage the liver. Symptoms of chronic liver disease include malaise, weight loss, loss of appetites, and often jaundice. Although passive carriers show no symptoms, they could infect others. Milk thistle is traditionally recommended by health care providers for chronic liver disease.
Saturday, August 11, 2007
Risk factors of liver cancer
Factors that increase the risk of developing primary liver cancer include the following:
1) Hepatitis or inflammation of the liver caused by a viral infection. There are different types of hepatitis caused by different virus i.e. A, B, C, D, E and G. Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C are responsible for most cases of hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatitis A does not increase your risk of developing liver cancer.
2) Cirrhosis, which is the scarring of liver cells that has several causes. In the United States, the most common causes of cirrhosis are hepatitis C and drinking too much alcohol. Fifty percent to 70% of liver cancers in the United States are associated with cirrhosis.
3) Direct contact with vinyl chloride (polyvinyl chloride or PVC)
4) Exposure to arsenic, a chemical used as a wood preservative, herbicide, insecticide, and in manufacturing some glass and metallic alloys. Some drinking water is contaminated by arsenic. It also exists in natural mineral deposits.
5) Anabolic steroids, which are male hormones used to treat certain conditions, and are sometimes used illegally by athletes to enhance performance. Long-term use may slightly increase the risk of liver cancer.
1) Hepatitis or inflammation of the liver caused by a viral infection. There are different types of hepatitis caused by different virus i.e. A, B, C, D, E and G. Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C are responsible for most cases of hepatocellular carcinoma. Hepatitis A does not increase your risk of developing liver cancer.
2) Cirrhosis, which is the scarring of liver cells that has several causes. In the United States, the most common causes of cirrhosis are hepatitis C and drinking too much alcohol. Fifty percent to 70% of liver cancers in the United States are associated with cirrhosis.
3) Direct contact with vinyl chloride (polyvinyl chloride or PVC)
4) Exposure to arsenic, a chemical used as a wood preservative, herbicide, insecticide, and in manufacturing some glass and metallic alloys. Some drinking water is contaminated by arsenic. It also exists in natural mineral deposits.
5) Anabolic steroids, which are male hormones used to treat certain conditions, and are sometimes used illegally by athletes to enhance performance. Long-term use may slightly increase the risk of liver cancer.
Saturday, July 28, 2007
Liver Cirrhosis
No other organs in our body perform a wider variety of essential jobs than the liver because it:
1) produces essential proteins that help blood to clot
2) removes or neutralizes poisons, drugs and alcohol
3) manufactures bile that helps the body to absorb fats and cholesterol
4) helps to maintain normal blood sugar levels
5) regulates several hormones
Liver Cirrhosis is a disease in which normal liver cells are replaced by scar tissue, which interferes with all of these important functions. In extreme cases, the damage is so severe that the only solution is a liver transplant. Cirrhosis is the eighth leading cause of death by disease in the United States, killing 25,000 people each year. It impairs thousands of other people as the liver gradually loses its ability to function.
In the United States and Europe, the most common causes of liver cirrhosis are excessive alcohol use and chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus.
Alcoholic cirrhosis tends to develop after a decade or more of heavy drinking, although it is possible for "social drinkers" to have cirrhosis. It is not known why some people are more prone to adverse reactions than others, but women are at greater risk of cirrhosis, even when they drink less alcohol than men.
Chronic hepatitis C causes inflammation of the liver that eventually can lead to cirrhosis. One out of every five people with chronic hepatitis C develops cirrhosis after 20 years. Chronic hepatitis B, which causes damage in a similar way, is the leading cause of cirrhosis in the world but is less common in industrialized countries.
1) produces essential proteins that help blood to clot
2) removes or neutralizes poisons, drugs and alcohol
3) manufactures bile that helps the body to absorb fats and cholesterol
4) helps to maintain normal blood sugar levels
5) regulates several hormones
Liver Cirrhosis is a disease in which normal liver cells are replaced by scar tissue, which interferes with all of these important functions. In extreme cases, the damage is so severe that the only solution is a liver transplant. Cirrhosis is the eighth leading cause of death by disease in the United States, killing 25,000 people each year. It impairs thousands of other people as the liver gradually loses its ability to function.
In the United States and Europe, the most common causes of liver cirrhosis are excessive alcohol use and chronic infection with the hepatitis C virus.
Alcoholic cirrhosis tends to develop after a decade or more of heavy drinking, although it is possible for "social drinkers" to have cirrhosis. It is not known why some people are more prone to adverse reactions than others, but women are at greater risk of cirrhosis, even when they drink less alcohol than men.
Chronic hepatitis C causes inflammation of the liver that eventually can lead to cirrhosis. One out of every five people with chronic hepatitis C develops cirrhosis after 20 years. Chronic hepatitis B, which causes damage in a similar way, is the leading cause of cirrhosis in the world but is less common in industrialized countries.
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