Chronic liver disease is a broadly descriptive term encompassing many conditions and diseases that cause damage to liver tissue. According to the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse, up to 50 percent of chronic liver diseases are caused by infection with the hepatitis C virus, which is commonly abbreviated as HCV. The HCV infects the liver, causing swelling and inflammation, which is known as hepatitis; scarring, known as fibrosis; and eventually cirrhosis, which is liver failure caused by severe scarring and inflammation. If caught early, HCV infection can be treated.
Anti-Viral Medications
Treatment for HCV usually includes a combination of the protein alpha interferon and the drug ribavirin. Interferon is a protein that the human body normally makes in response to infections. A modified form of interferon, called pegylated interferon or peginterferon, has been developed that can be given as an injection once a week to boost the body's immune response to the virus. Doctors usually also prescribe the anti-viral drug ribavirin, which is taken as an oral capsule twice a day. Patients usually need to take this combination therapy for six months to a year to effectively decrease levels of HCV in the blood, explains the the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse.
Vaccinations
For people infected with HCV who develop chronic liver disease, doctors often advise vaccinations for two other viruses, hepatitis A and B. If these viruses infect a person already infected with HCV, they can cause additional damage to the liver that will hinder recovery from the HCV infection, the Mayo Clinic reports.
Liver Transplant
If the HCV infection is not treated early, the liver may become so damaged that liver cirrhosis sets in and liver function begins to fail. Because scarred liver tissue cannot be regrown, in cases of severe damage, a liver transplant may be necessary. There are three types of liver transplant procedures. An orthopic transplant replaces the damaged liver with a liver from a deceased donor. A heterotopic transplant also uses a liver from a deceased donor. However, the damaged liver in the host is not removed, it remains in the body with the new liver. During a reduced-size liver transplant, the damaged liver is removed and replaced by a small portion of a liver from a living donor, explains the Liver Disease Archive.
Treatments of Complications
Chronic liver disease caused by HCV often results in several complications that also require treatment. For example, fluids often accumulate in the abdomen and limbs. This condition is often treated with diurectic medicines that induce the kidney to remove extra water from the bloodstream. The veins leaving the kidney often develop high blood pressure, which can be treated with common high blood pressure medications. Additionally, without the liver to remove toxins from the blood, they can accumulate in the body, causing hepatic encephalopathy, which can be treated with specialized medications, according to the Mayo Clinic.
