Primary biliary cirrhosis is a chronic condition caused by damage and inflammation of the bile ducts, the small tubes that connect the liver to the gallbladder and small intestines. The liver produces bile, which travels through the bile ducts to...
Irreversible damage to liver cells that results in the formation of tough fibrous tissue in the liver describes cirrhosis. Cirrhosis leads to the permanent destruction of the liver tissues and is a progressive disease. In early stages, the...
Cirrhosis, or scarring of the liver, most commonly results from alcohol abuse or hepatitis. In end-stage cirrhosis, the liver's function has significantly declined, and you are more likely to have symptoms of this condition that can make physical...
Your liver plays an important role in regulating the amount of cholesterol in your bloodstream. A healthy liver manufactures between 700 and 900 mg of cholesterol each day, according to Iowa State University Extension. Cirrhosis is a liver...
Cirrhosis of the liver describes a condition where healthy liver tissue becomes damaged. As a result, tough fibrous nodules replace once-healthy liver tissue. In the early stages of cirrhosis the body compensates for the damage, and if there are...
Several factors can compromise the liver's ability to function normally. Viruses, alcohol, drugs and environmental toxins may contribute to the development of cirrhosis, hepatitis, fibrosis and other forms of liver disease. If you believe you have...
Chronic liver disease destroys liver tissue over time. Cirrhosis is a disease with irreversible damage caused by alcoholism or hepatitis, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Fibrosis of the liver is a chronic disease resulting...
Cirrhosis of the liver describes a disease of progressive tissue destruction characterized by the replacement of hard fibrous tissue riddled with nodules. This disease typically becomes chronic, and often patients are unaware of the disease...
Abdominal pain is common complaint in many emergency rooms. The nature and severity of the pain often varies according to the underlying condition causing the pain. Right upper quadrant (RUQ) abdominal pain, depending on the cause, may require...
Cirrhosis is a chronic liver disease that results in symptoms such as fibrosis, decreased liver function, abdominal fluid buildup called ascites, portal hypertension and other serious complications. Detrimental changes in blood flow and blood...
While cirrhosis cannot be cured, eating right and getting exercise helps many patients feel healthier and respond better to medical treatment, according to Dr. Melissa Palmer in the June 2007 edition of the PBCers Organization Newsletter....
Elevated liver enzymes in the blood are often the first, and sometimes only, sign of liver problems. Liver enzymes increase when damage to the liver causes the liver cells to release enzymes into the bloodstream. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease,...
Chronic long-term alcohol abuse and hepatitis C infection are the most common causes of cirrhosis of the liver, according to the National Institutes of Health. Other conditions may lead to cirrhosis and many people have multiple risk factors at...
The liver is a large organ that serves to detoxify the blood, make proteins and produce digestive molecules. It can be affected by many different diseases. External toxins, genetic disorders, infections, tumors and autoimmune diseases are culprits...
Being obese increases your chances for premature death and disability. Your body mass index is a numerical estimate of the amount of body fat that you have. As your body mass index rises, so does the prevalence of serious medical conditions. These...
Replacement of healthy liver cells with scar tissue defines cirrhosis. Scar tissue deforms the normal liver, blocks blood flow and hinders the liver's function to detoxify drugs. Cirrhosis develops over years. Usually there are no signs of liver...
Cirrhosis is the term used to describe scarring of the liver and is the result of chronic liver damage. According to MayoClinic.com, the liver can still function and make repairs with mild cirrhosis; however, with advanced cirrhosis, there is more...
In a 2006 article published in the "Annals of Internal Medicine," researchers noted that 3.9 million people living in the United States had positive blood tests for hepatitis C. Approximately 2.7 million of those people were sick with chronic...
Itching, also called pruritis, an annoying tingling sensation that can cause people to continuously scratch at their skin, is extremely uncomfortable, especially when itching occurs all over the body. Itching can be caused by histamine release,...
Patients with chronic liver disease may have changes in liver function that affect stamina, mental status, coagulation or nutritional status, according to a clinical report published by the American Academy of Pediatrics. However, in most cases,...
The liver plays a critical role in many bodily processes, including digestion and detoxification. Making healthful choices can promote the health and optimal functioning of this vital organ. Exercise in particular, has been shown to prevent...
Vitamin B12 is an essential water-soluble vitamin and is necessary for the formation and maturation of red blood cells, the synthesis of DNA and for normal nerve function. According to MedlinePlus, normal values for vitamin B12 are 200 to 900...
Blood ammonia comes primarily from the bacterial breakdown of unabsorbed dietary protein in the intestine. Intestinal ammonia passes into the bloodstream and travels to the liver, which converts ammonia into urea. Urea subsequently passes from the...
Hyponatremia, or a low sodium level in the body, is a condition in which there is not enough sodium or salt in the body fluids outside of the cells. Hyponatremia is the most common electrolyte imbalance in the United States and is defined as...
No matter the cause of liver disease, the American Liver Foundation indicates that it generally progresses in a similar manner. Unless an individual receives treatment, liver damage due to disease will progress to liver failure; however, with...
Cirrhosis is a condition in which the liver deteriorates over time, causing scarring and chronic damage. The liver is a large organ that sits in the upper abdomen and helps control infections, remove toxins from the blood, make proteins for blood...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports an estimated 3.2 million Americans are living with chronic hepatitis C infection. While the disease varies in severity from person to person, the American Gastroenterological Association...
Excessive alcohol consumption is the third leading preventable cause of death in the United States, according to an article in the June 25, 2009, issue of the New England Journal of Medicine. Heavy drinking not only damages the liver, but also...
Leg cramps, also known as "charley horses," are the sudden, painful contraction of a muscle, usually the calf. They often strike at night and can jerk you out of a sound sleep and cause you to writhe in pain until you can get your leg stretched...
Cirrhosis is a condition that causes irreversible scarring of the liver. As scar tissue replaces normal tissue, blood flow through your liver is affected. Learn about the different causes, symptoms, and treatments for Cirrhosis in this video.
