Chronic liver disease is the 10th most common cause of death in the U.S., according to the American Academy of Family Physicians. Chronic liver disease is actually a general term applied to many disorders of the liver, including hepatitis, which is inflammation of the liver, fibrosis, which is scarring of the liver, and cirrhosis, which is liver failure caused by severe hepatitis and fibrosis. There are many potential causes of chronic liver disease, ranging from diet to inherited genetic conditions.
Infections
The hepatitis C virus is a common cause cause of chronic liver disease. The virus slowly damages the liver, leading to swelling, inflammation and scaring. Approximately 25 percent of people with hepatitis C infection will develop severe scarring leading to cirrhosis, and may require a liver transplant, according to the Washington University School of Medicine. Two other viruses, hepatitis A and B also infect the liver; however, most people recover quickly from the hepatitis caused by these viruses. In some cases, other viruses or bacterial can also cause chronic liver disease.
Diet and Medications
A second leading cause of chronic liver disease is alcohol abuse. Approximately 40 percent of people who die each year from liver cirrhosis have a history of alcohol abuse, reports the Washington University School of Medicine. Poor diet and malnutrition have also been linked to an increased risk of chronic lever disease. Some medications, such as the common pain reliever acetaminophen, can cause drug-induced liver toxicity that damages the liver and leads to chronic liver disease.
Inherited Diseases
Several different inherited conditions can cause chronic liver diseases. These often manifest early in childhood. Biliary atresia is a condition in which a person is born with bile ducts that are too small to properly transport bile from the liver to the intestines. Wilson's disease is caused by a genetically inherited tendency to accumulate high levels of copper in the liver. Galactosemia is characterized by the inability of the body to digest some sugars in milk, causing the sugars to accumulate in the liver and damage it. Many other inherited conditions can cause similar damage to the liver leading to chronic liver disease, explains the University of Illinois Medical Center.
Other Disorders
Many other disorders can also result in chronic liver disease. For example, primary biliary cirrhosis, primary sclerosing cholangitis and autoimmune hepatitis are spontaneously occurring autoimmune diseases resulting from the body's immune system accidentally attacking the liver or other organs. Liver cancer is another condition that can lead to chronic liver disease. Metabolic disorders such as diabetes and alpha-1-antitrypsin deficiency can also increase the risk. Traumatic injury causing obstruction of the bile duct, or obstruction of blood flow out of the liver caused by Budd-Chari syndrome are additional potential causes of chronic liver disease.
