According to National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, cirrhosis is the condition of slow deterioration of the liver. This occurs due to the replacement of the healthy tissue with the scarring tissues and involves the blockage of blood flow through liver. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse states that cirrhosis of liver ranks among the twelfth leading cause of death by disease and accounting to about 27,000 deaths every year. Cirrhosis impairs the liver’s ability to control infection, remove bacteria and toxins from blood, bile production, process nutrients, hormones and drugs, as well as make proteins that regulate blood clotting. Serious complications can arise from liver cirrhosis.
Bleeding Disorders
The United States National Library of Medicine-National Institute of Health reports an association between cirrhosis of liver and bleeding disorders due to multiple reasons. These include decreased synthesis of clotting factors, decreased clearance of the activated factors, quantitative and qualitative platelet defects, and accelerated intra-vascular coagulation. All these cause a cumulative effect of preventing the blood from clotting.
Liver Cancer
The National Cancer Institute states that patients suffering from the cirrhosis of liver are at a greater risk of developing the adult primary liver cancer. Patients are requested to consult the physician as early as possible to avoid any serious complications arising afterward.
Kidney Failure
According to "The New England Journal of Medicine" states, cirrhosis of liver can lead to renal failure, and is among the most important risk factors when considering for liver transplantation. A patient suffering from cirrhosis of liver has a higher risk of dying while awaiting transplantation.
Jaundice
"The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse" states that when the ability of liver to remove bilirubin from blood decreases during the cirrhosis of liver. This causes jaundice, which involves the yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, accompanied with darkening of the urine. Bilirubin is the pigment responsible for the reddish-yellow color of the bile.
Sensitivity to Medications
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse states that cirrhosis of liver slows down the liver’s ability to filter medications from blood. This causes medications to act for a much longer time period, and leads to the patient having more side effects.
References
- National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse: Cirrhosis
- United States National Library of Medicine-National Institute of Health: Coagulation disorders in the liver disease.
- National Cancer Institute: General information about adult primary liver cancer
- The New England Journal of Medicine: Renal Failure in Cirrhosis
