Risk factors for liver disease

The liver is the largest gland in the human body - it weighs around 1500g and has a number of important functions - over than 500 One is the secretion of bile. Bile is necessary for the breakdown of fats and helps in the absorption of fat soluble substances, including vitamins A, D, E and K. Bile is stored in the gall bladder and secreted during digestion. All substances that are absorbed from the intestine to the liver with blood coming into a place where many important metabolic processes, under which the synthesis of various substances necessary for the functioning of the organism, as well as the detoxification of certain harmful products products (converts harmful and toxic substances from the bloodstream into harmless compounds which is easily excreted from the body). 

The liver is important for the regulation of glucose and cholesterol levels (involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats, vitamins and minerals), for the synthesis of most proteins that circulate in the blood and carry out immune functions. Despite the fact that the liver is being held in many important life processes, and to liver disease are the tenth leading cause of death, the liver and its diseases, are often not given enough attention. The reason is the insufficient knowledge of the functions of the liver, but the fact that the symptoms of liver disease are usually nonspecific and occur gradually.

Liver damage from any cause can affect these functions that lead to various disorders and diseases, such as. elevated levels of cholesterol, digestive disorders (including constipation), vomiting, hypersensitivity syndrome, cancer, allergies, abnormal blood sugar levels, chronic fatigue and pain.

Do liver function abnormalities may occur due to various causes, for example due to viral hepatitis, liver disease caused by the excessive consumption of alcohol or other substances toxic to liver cells, liver cirrhosis, liver cancer and other diseases of the liver and other organs.When liver blood is elevated concentrations of liver enzymes that are running out of damaged cells.

The symptoms reflect dysfunction and liver damage include fatigue, weakness, abdominal pain, loss of appetite, yellowing of the skin and mucous membranes (jaundice), itching of the skin, easy bleeding, formation (due to disturbance of blood clotting factors). In advanced liver disease with cirrhosis, there are accumulation of fluid in the lower legs (edema) and abdomen (ascites), the propensity to bacterial infections, a tendency to bleeding in the digestive system, mental confusion and coma, and renal failure.

Risk factors for the disease jestre are many - some are congenital (a disorder of metabolism of certain elements and substances in the body), and many have acquired. The most common cause of liver damage in developed countries is excessive alcohol consumption (liver is the primary site of metabolism of alcohol). It is estimated that approximately 600 000 people in Croatia, excessive alcohol, and the number of registered alcoholics was about 240 000thAccording to recent sources, 20% of the population drinks too much, while 50% had family problems with alcohol. At the same time, it is estimated that in Croatia there are 40% of overweight, the percentage suffering from obesity or have elevated blood fats (hyperlipidemia, high triglycerides and LDL, low HDL), which are also risks for liver damage / disease. The negative effects of cigarette smoke usually considered in the context of a negative effect on the lungs and is often forgotten that smoking is a burden to the liver. Tobacco smoke is rich in toxic compounds (benzapirenom, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, cyanide, tar, etc..) That mature in the blood of smokers, and the task of the liver is the detoxification of each compound.

Also  risk of liver disease and carry the presence of diabetes, use of drugs that damage the liver function (large doses of paracetamol and other NSAIDs, corticosteroids, cytotoxic drugs, amiodarone, tetracyclines), bad hygiene, drug abuse and promiscuous behavior (exposure to hepatitis viruses) .

source: www.zdravajetra.blogspot.com