The liver is a vital organ in the body that performs many important functions on a daily basis to keep the body healthy. Some of the main duties the liver performs are aiding in digestion, storing fats and vitamins, making proteins, and filtering toxins and medications from the blood. Cirrhosis of the liver is a group of conditions in which healthy tissue is replaced by scar tissue -- due to inflammation and damage -- resulting in decreased liver function.
Alcoholic Cirrhosis
Alcoholic cirrhosis is the result of excessive alcohol consumption causing severe and prolonged liver damage. It is considered the final stage of alcohol-related liver disease before liver failure. Further damage can be prevented by abstaining from alcohol use, but some cirrhotic damage is irreversible, says the Cleveland Clinic. Complications from alcoholic cirrhosis include jaundice or yellowing of the skin, abnormal liver enzymes and hepatic encephalopathy -- a condition of decreasing brain function due to liver malfunction.
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease
Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, NAFLD, is a type of liver disease in which fat accumulates in the cells of the liver in individuals who consume little or no alcohol. Excessive fat deposition in the liver leads to inflammation, scarring and eventual cirrhosis. Risk factors include high triglycerides and cholesterol, diabetes and obesity. Approximately 20 to 40 percent of obese individuals develop NAFLD, says the American Liver Foundation.
Hepatitis-related Cirrhosis
Hepatitis-related cirrhosis refers to liver inflammation caused by the hepatitis family of viruses. Hepatitis is a viral infection that affects the liver and is classified into types A, B, C, D and E, of which A, B and C are the most common. Approximately 20 to 25 percent of individuals with hepatitis C progress to liver cirrhosis, says HCV Advocate. Progression to cirrhosis is accelerated in individuals with hepatitis C if they currently or have in the past consumed alcohol or are co-infected with HIV or hepatitis B.
Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
Primary biliary cirrhosis is believed to be an autoimmune disease in which the bile ducts of the liver are attacked and destroyed by the immune system. Bile is a digestive fluid that aids in the digestion of fats as well as vitamins A, D, E and K, notes the National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. Damage to the bile ducts causes bile leakage and buildup in the liver. This damages and destroys the liver, leading to inflammation, scarring and eventual cirrhosis.
