Hepatitis C is a liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus, or HCV. The virus spreads primarily through contaminated blood. More than 80 percent of hepatitis C infections become chronic, which may lead to fatal liver diseases. Hepatitiscadvocacy.org notes that approximately 8,000 people in the United States die of HCV-related causes every year, and the death rate is expected to triple within the next 20 years.
Bleeding and Bruising
At the final stages of HCV, a patient typically goes through an illness called cirrhosis, in which scarring damages the liver and replaces healthy tissue. Because of this, the liver is not able to perform its functions anymore. For example, it may not be able to produce enough clotting factors, which leads to bleeding and bruising. Increased pressure in the liver circulation causes a condition known as portal hypertension. Scarring can also cause high blood pressure in the veins that carry blood from the intestines through the liver. Thus, bleeding from enlarged veins in the digestive system is also common. According to Hepatitis Central, approximately 50 to 75 percent of bleeding in HCV patients is due to the portal hypertension. Gastroesophageal varices also result from portal hypertension.
Jaundice
Liver failure causes bilirubin to build up in the blood, resulting in jaundice. Jaundice causes a patient’s skin and eyes to turn yellow and may also turn his urine dark and tea-like in color. His stool becomes the color of grayish clay, and he may experience intense body itching.
Hepatic Encephalopathy
Liver failure can cause confusion, deteriorated cognitive functions, coma, and even death. This condition is called hepatic encephalopathy. In its last stages, it can also be referred to as hepatic coma and is characterized by amnesia, seizures, coma, swelling of the brain, and finally death. This condition is caused by toxic substances in the blood that are typically removed by a normal, healthy liver. In some cases, the patient may need a liver transplant.
