Cirrhosis : The Leading Cause Of Death

“Each Year in the United States about one-hundred and fifty-thousand patients develop cancer of the colon or rectum. Around fifty percent of these patients will either have a cancer that has already spread to the liver or they will come back in future years with metastatic cancer to the liver.” Liver cancer, or other known as Hepatocellular Carcinoma, is a cancer residing in the liver. There are other cancers like metastatic cancer that starts at other organs then spreads to the liver. Being the third most common cancer in the world, it is also one of the deadliest. Twenty percent of the patients that are affected by liver cancer survive for a year after diagnosis. Sadly, five percentile of the survivors live for only five years or more.

The conditions that lead to chronic liver disease are vast but they fall into five groups (Chronic liver, 2011). The first group is the viral group classification which includes conditions such as hepatitis B and C (Chronic liver, 2011). The second group is the metabolic group which includes diseases such as Wilson’s disease (Chronic liver, 2011). The third group is the autoimmune response group which includes primary biliary cirrhosis sufferers (Chronic liver, 2011). The fourth group is the toxin-related group which includes alcoholism and the last is the miscellaneous group with ailments such as right heart failure (Chronic liver, 2011). Within these groups there is a silent killer though which raises the risk for that group. That is the toxin-related group because alcoholism leads to cirrhosis and then to hepatitis (Chronic liver, 2011). That group alone takes a person through three groups in one shot.

Alcohol or ethanol is a chemical compound which is classified as a depressant. Depressants slow down the human brain and affect the way the brain interprets information and alters feeling and human behaviour according to (alcoholthinagain, 2017). Alcohol just like any other liquid must pass through the stomach, from there it must pass through the liver. According to (myDr, 2017) the liver must process the alcohol into a chemical compound called acetaldehyde. The acetate is further metabolised and eventually leaves the body safely. However, if excessive alcohol is consumed over a prolonged period of time will result in alcohol related liver disease, from alcohol related fatty liver disease to worst case scenario of cirrhosis. Cirrhosis occurs in response to excessive damage felt to the liver, each time the liver is damaged it attempts to heal itself, in the process creating scar tissue.

Cirrhosis involves a complication in the liver which cause the loss of liver cells and irreversible scarring of the liver. Some of the common causes of the Cirrhosis is the abuse of alcohol fatty liver disease, viral hepatitis B and C. Other possible causes that cause Cirrhosis are Iron buildup in the body, Cystic fibrosis, Copper accumulated in the liver, poorly formed bile ducts, inherited disorders of sugar metabolism and Infection such as Schistosomiasis. Cirrhosis does not show very often signs or symptoms until the liver is damaged extensive. When signs and symptoms do occur According to Mayo clinic

The number one preventive measure of liver cirrhosis is to stop drinking alcoholic beverages. Abstinence from alcohol may be difficult for many alcoholics to do, but the result is beneficial for them. Ninety percent of the people with liver cirrhosis who stopped drinking alcohol lives another 5 years, and only seventy percent chance of living less than five years if they continue to drink alcohol (Penny, 2013). According to Leaper and Hamlin, “liver cirrhosis affects protein metabolism and the ability of the liver to store glycogen, which is required for energy (2011). Therefore, people who have cirrhosis are advised to eat foods high in protein and carbohydrates to maintain body’s functions. Limiting protein intake can cause malnutrition or

It also detoxifies chemicals, metabolizes drugs, stores some vitamins, iron, and sugar, converts stored sugar to functional sugar when the body’s sugar levels fall below normal, breaks down hormones, converts ammonia to urea, destroys old red blood cells ( called rbcs), and the liver excretes bile. Bile goes to the intestines and makes proteins that are used for things like blood clots, resists infection by producing immune factors and getting rid of bacteria from the bloodstream, and clears bilirubin.

Cirrhosis is a delayed stage of fibrosis of the liver that can be cause by several types of liver diseases and conditions. The liver plays many roles such as detoxifying toxic substances to the body, purifying the blood and producing crucial nutrients. This condition occurs in response to deteriorating the liver which may cause the liver to fail. The damaged liver can’t be undone, but if cirrhosis of the liver is diagnosed and treated early then the damage can be controlled.

The liver plays a pivotal role in material metabolism, such as synthesis of proteins, detoxification, and storage. Liver lesions will inevitably lead to a change in related metabolic network. Cirrhosis, often preceded by hepatitis and steatosis, is a condition in which the liver does not function properly due to long-term damage. Cirrhosis resulted in 1.2 million deaths in 2013, up from 0.8 million deaths in 1990 [1]. Independent of the cause, treatment of cirrhosis partly depends on the underlying cause, with the principle of preventing worsening and complications.

Cirrhosis is a liver disease caused by the damage and death of liver cells affecting the normal functions of the liver in the body (Penny, 2013). The liver functions include the production of clotting protein for blood coagulation, removal of toxic ammonia from the blood, and regulation of fats and carbohydrates to be used by the body (MedineNet, 2015.) In cirrhosis, the liver are limited and/or cannot perform these functions in the body. Liver cirrhosis is characterized by the formation of scarring tissues that blocks the body’s normal blood flow. It interrupts the “close relationship between the liver cells and blood from the portal vein, which allows the liver cells to remove and add substances

Fatty liver: It is a curable disease, suffered by a person at large vesicles of triglycerides rally is the leading cause of injury by excessive alcohol intake and obesity.

The liver is one of the most important organs in the body due it performing many critical functions, two of which are producing substances required by the body such as clotting

According to the Medscape website, the article Global Burden of Liver Disease Substantial, written by Miriam E. Tucker, states that the deaths from cirrhosis and liver cancer has increased by 50 million per year over the past two decades worldwide. But what exactly is this disease that has been increasing the number of deaths in this world? According to National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Disease website, this liver condition consists of the deteriorating of the organ and the incapability to function normally due to a chronic injury. Due to injury, scar tissue of the liver would replace healthy liver tissue and can restrict or block the blood flow through the liver. The liver is known to be the body’s largest and one of

Hepatitis is defined as an irritation of the liver and is an infectious disease that is caused by viruses, alcohol and medications that attacks the liver. When the virus gets into the liver, the liver becomes inflamed. The body’s immune system tries to fight off the virus with lymphocytes and in the end the liver is destroyed more. Fibrosis occurs because of the scarring of the liver. When the scarring gets so bad the blood flow slows down and causes cirrhosis of the liver. Blood begins to back up and leak into organs in the body. The function of the liver is to manufacture proteins and to regulate transportation of fat stored and to control production and excretion of cholesterol. There are six types of Hepatitis A, B, C, D,

This paper is about the end-stage liver disease, commonly known as cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is a slow deterioration of the liver, where healthy tissue is replaced by scar tissue, therefore inhibiting the proper flow of blood through the liver. It is highly asymptomatic but susceptible in those with a history of heavy alcohol consumption, drug use via IV, or hepatitis. Typically, cirrhosis is diagnosed after its complications have already developed. There are over 3.9 million adults nationwide diagnosed with chronic liver disease according to the CDC/National Center for Health Statistics. While there are many possible causes for developing cirrhosis, the most common are: non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, alcohol-related liver disease and chronic hepatitis

Hepatitis virus causes swelling and inflammation of the liver. Hepatitis is normally caused by a viral infection, but there other causes of hepatitis. Autoimmune hepatitis is a disease occurring when the body makes antibodies against the liver tissue. Hepatitis is a secondary result of medications, drugs, toxins and alcohol. The liver is located in the upper right quadrant of the abdomen. It has many functions that affect metabolism throughout the body including bile production, filter toxins, and excretion of bilirubin, cholesterol, hormones, and drugs. Other functions include activates enzymes, storage of glycogen, vitamins, and minerals. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are 4.4 million people living with chronic hepatitis, but many of them are unaware.