The liver is an organ in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen. It functions to detoxify the body and purify the blood. Cirrhosis and hepatitis are serious health conditions that affect the liver. Cirrhosis refers to scarring of the liver....
Elevated liver enzymes, according to the Mayo Clinic, can indicate a problem with inflammation or cellular damage in the liver. When the liver is damaged or inflamed, cells will emit a higher amount of certain chemicals, including liver enzymes,...
Hepatitis C is a liver disorder caused by an infection with the hepatitis C virus. It is generally a chronic condition that may have severe symptoms, but some people will not notice any effects for many years. Effective treatment of the hepatitis...
Chronic hepatitis C, a viral disease that causes liver damage over a number of years, affects around 4.1 million Americans and kills 10,000 to 12,000 people in the United States each year, the National Digestive Disease Information Clearinghouse...
Niacin treats high cholesterol. Niacin can both raise HDL or "good" cholesterol and lower LDL or "bad" cholesterol. There are several side effects associated with a daily dosage of niacin. Before taking niacin, consult with your doctor.
Chronic liver disease destroys liver tissue over time. Cirrhosis is a disease with irreversible damage caused by alcoholism or hepatitis, according to the Merck Manuals Online Medical Library. Fibrosis of the liver is a chronic disease resulting...
Turmeric, known scientifically as Curcuma longa, is an herb that has been in use for thousands of years. In cuisine, it is often used to give Indian curry its flavor and color, and in traditional herbal medicine it has been used to treat wounds...
Hepatitis is a disease that causes inflammation of your liver, resulting in a variety of adverse health effects. Hepatitis can be caused by an autoimmune disease, liver damage from alcohol or poisons and the overuse of some medications. Hepatitis...
High liver levels, or elevated liver enzymes, indicate damage or inflammation to liver cells, says MayoClinic.com. The most common liver enzymes are alanine transaminase, or ALT, and aspartate transaminase, or AST. These enzymes, the most reliable...
Dark urine and weight loss occurring together are symptoms that should not be ignored; both of these can indicate serious medical conditions, usually involving the liver or kidneys. Normal urine is the color of yellow straw, and doctors generally...
Fatty infiltration of the liver, also known as steatosis, can be due to a variety of causes, including lcohol, medications, hepatitis C, diabetes, pregnancy, obesity and metabolic syndrome. According to research outlined in the June 2006 issue of...
Elevated liver enzymes can signify damage to the liver caused by a variety of triggers, from medications to hepatitis or heart attack. They can also indicate disease of the gallbladder, a small, pear-shaped organ located near the liver in the...
Hepatitis B is a highly contagious infection of the liver, which can range from mild to severe. Hepatitis B can be classified as acute or chronic, depending on how long the virus remains in the body. According to the Centers for Disease Control...
Hepatitis C is an infection that is transmitted through blood, according to the National Institutes of Health; for example, intravenous drug users are at an increased risk of contracting hepatitis C. As of September 2009, no vaccination is...
The hepatitis B virus causes the liver to become inflamed. There are two forms of hepatitis B--acute and chronic. In the acute form, liver inflammation resolves in six months or less. The chronic form is when the inflammation persists for longer...
Viral hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that can be caused by several different viruses namely, hepatitis A, B, C, D and E, explains the National Institute of Diabetes, Digestive and Kidney Diseases. The hepatitis B, C, and D viruses can...
Hepatitis refers to liver inflammation. There are several types of hepatitis caused by viruses, such as A, B or C. Acute hepatitis can be caused by such a virus or by medications, alcohol or chemicals that damage the liver. Hepatitis cases are...
Hepatitis C virus causes long-term infection and inflammation of your liver, primarily spread through contact with contaminated blood. Medical treatment varies with the severity of the infection and often includes antiviral medications....
Hepatitis C is one of the categories of hepatitis, a liver disease that makes the liver swell, affecting food digestion and toxin excretion. The hepatitis C virus is the causative agent found in people infected with the disease. The mode of...
Once a sample of blood is drawn from a vein, the physician can order several laboratory tests, including the liver enzymes function test. An increase in liver enzymes in the bloodstream can indicate injured liver cells. The amount of increase...
Chronic liver disease is a broad term used to describe liver damage resulting from many different causes. Liver disease usually begins with inflammation of the liver, known as hepatitis, and scarring of the liver, known as fibrosis. If the...
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention estimates that 3.2 million Americans are living with chronic hepatitis C. Hepatitis C is a contagious disease that infects the liver and causes inflammation, preventing the liver from properly...
Hepatitis C is a type of liver disease caused by the hepatitis C virus. Although some people can clear the virus from their bodies without medical assistance, most cannot. Treatment for hepatitis C includes medication that helps reduce the...
Hepatitis A is a virus that affects the liver. Hepatitis A enters a patient's body typically through the ingestion of contaminated food or water, or through close contact with an infected person. The virus enters the patient's blood stream and...
If you have hepatitis C, you must maintain a healthy liver. Since your body uses the liver to process alcohol, you should stop drinking it. If you're a mixed-drink fan, ask your waiter to mix a virgin version of your favorite beverage. Wine...
Fatty liver, which is an accumulation of triglycerides--a type of fat--inside the liver, occurs in a number of disease processes. Fatty liver disease that causes liver damage is divided into two types: alcoholic fatty liver, which occurs in people...
Hepatitis is the swelling and inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis may be caused by alcohol abuse, infections from viruses such as hepatitis A, B and C, ingesting poisonous substances, and medication such as an overdose of acetaminophen. Chromium...
The liver is a triangular shaped organ that sits in the upper right side of the abdomen and has several important functions, including metabolizing medications, glucose and fat. Bile production is another important function of the liver, and it...
Purple bumps on the skin are commonly associated with an inflammatory skin disease known as lichen planus, according to the Mayo Clinic. Because lichen planus can be unsightly and it may be accompanied by discomfort, those affected may opt to use...
Hepatitis C is an infectious disease carried in the blood and caused by the hepatitis C virus infecting the liver after blood-to-blood contact. Learn more about hepatitis C, including symptoms and treatments, in this video.
Jaundice is a yellow discoloration of the skin and whites of the eyes due to an increase of bile pigments in the blood. Jaundice is often symptomatic of certain diseases, such as hepatitis. Learn about the different causes of, symptoms of, and...