Cirrhosis of the liver

Cirrhosis is a process of destruction of normal liver tissue, leaving scar tissue that is no longer able to perform its previous function, and the surrounding areas of liver tissue that still functions.

Most of the major causes of liver cirrhosis ends. In the U.S. the most common cause of cirrhosis of the misuse of alcohol. Among people aged 45-65 years, cirrhosis is the third leading cause of death after heart disease and cancer.In many parts of Asia and Africa, a major cause of cirrhosis is chronic hepatitis.

Causes of cirrhosis

• misuse of alcohol

• Taking certain medications

• Exposure to some chemicals

• Infection (including hepatitis B and hepatitis C)

• Autoimmune diseases (including autoimmune chronic hepatitis)

• blockage of the bile times (bile duct)

• Permanent fault flow of blood from the liver (as in Budd-Chiari syndrome)

• disturbance of the heart and blood vessels

• Lack of alpha-antitrypsin

• High levels of galactose in the blood

• High levels of tyrosine at birth (congenital tirosinosis)

• glycogen storage disease

• Diabetes mellitus (diabetes)

• Poor nutritional status (malnutrition)

• Inheritance accumulation of excessive amounts of copper, Wilson's disease)

• iron overload (hemochromatosis)

Symptoms

Many people with mild cirrhosis have no symptoms and appear healthy for years. Others are weak, have poor appetite, feel sick and lose weight. If bile flow is constantly clogged, a person has jaundice, itching, and small yellow skin nodules, especially around the eyelids. Poor nutritional status is usually the result of poor appetite and impaired absorption of fats and fat soluble vitamins (liposoluble vitamins) which is caused by a reduced formation of bile salts.

The person may cough or vomit a large amount of blood due to bleeding from varicose veins in the lower esophagus (esophageal varices). These enlarged blood vessels caused by high blood pressure in the veins that go from the gut to the liver. Such high blood pressure, called portal hypertension, with poor liver function may also lead to accumulation of free fluid in the abdomen (ascites). May occur and renal failure and hepatic encephalopathy.

May develop other symptoms of liver disease as long as the deterioration of muscle, red palms (palmar erythema), the curvature of the fingers (Dupuytren's contracture palmar), small veins in the skin like a spider, breast enlargement in men (gynecomastia), increased salivary glands in the cheeks , hair loss, dwarfing the testicles (testicular atrophy), and abnormal function of nerves (peripheral neuropathy).

Diagnosis

UZ can be shown that the liver is increased. Radioactive isotope liver scan creates an image that shows which areas of the liver are functioning and that the scar changed. Liver function test results are often normal, because the performance of basic chemical functions require only a small percentage of liver cells to function. The final diagnosis is microscopic examination of liver tissue samples.

Prognosis and treatment

Cirrhosis is usually progressive. If someone with early cirrhosis stops drinking, the process of changes of the liver scars are usually stopped, but scar tissue remains forever. Generally, the prognosis is worse if there were serious complications such as vomiting blood, ascites, abnormal brain function (encephalopathy).

Liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma) is more common in people with cirrhosis, which is a consequence of chronic infection with hepatitis B or hepatitis C, due to iron overload (hemochromatosis) due to long-term illness and storage (storage), and glycogen. In people with cirrhosis due to alcohol abuse can occur and liver cancer.

Cirrhosis can not be cured. However, the state seeks to improve elimination of toxic factors such as drinking alcohol, taking proper nutrition including vitamin and treatment of complications that occur.

A person with advanced cirrhosis of the liver transplant can help. But if a person continues to abuse alcohol or if you can not remove the causative agent of cirrhosis will eventually develop in the transplanted liver.

Primary biliary cirrhosis

• Introduction • Symptoms • Diagnosis and Treatment and Prognosis

Introduction

Primary biliary cirrhosis is an inflammation of the final scar changes and blockage of bile ducts in the liver.

Primary biliary cirrhosis is most common among women aged 35-60 years, although it can occur in men and women of any age. The cause is unknown, but the disease often occurs in people with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, scleroderma, or autoimmune thyroiditis.

Primary biliary cirrhosis begins with inflammation of the bile ducts in the liver. Inflammation prevents the flow of bile from the liver so bile remains in the liver cells, or overflows into the bloodstream. Spread of infection to the rest of the liver, all the liver develops scar tissue trellis.

Symptoms and diagnosis

Primary biliary cirrhosis usually begin gradually. Itching and fatigue sometimes are the first symptoms in 50% of people with primary biliary cirrhosis, and these symptoms may precede other symptoms for months or years. At physical examination the doctor may feel for the people increased 50%, solid liver in about 25% increased spleen.About 15% have a small yellow deposits in the skin (xanthoma) or eyelids (xantelasma). About 10% have increased skin pigmentation. Less than 10% have only jaundice. Other symptoms may include an increase over the toes (toes batićasti) and abnormalities of the bones, nerves and kidneys. The diarrhea may be pale and fat and have a disgusting smell. Later you could have all the symptoms and complications of cirrhosis.

Diagnosis is at least 30% of people placed before the development of symptoms based on abnormalities detected during routine blood browsing. Antibodies against mitochondria (tiny structures within the cells) are found in the blood of more than 90% of people with the disease.

When jaundice and liver abnormalities Search apparent, effective diagnostic tool for the endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP). In the process, after the injection of radiocontrast material endoscopy in bile ducts, make the roentgenogram. It will show that within the bile duct is unobstructed and allow doctors to better establish the liver as the site of the problem. Diagnosis can be confirmed by microscopic examination of liver tissue samples obtained hollow needle (liver biopsy).

Treatment and Prognosis

Progression of primary biliary cirrhosis is very different. Initially, the disease does not reduce the quality of life of people with this disorder has a moderately good prognosis. It seems that the longer people live with the slow deterioration of the disease. For some the disease progresses relentlessly for several years, culminating in severe cirrhosis. The prognosis is poor in people with increased levels of bilirubin in the blood (jaundice). In most develop metabolic bone disease (osteoporosis).

Healing is not known. Itching can be combated by taking the medicine cholestyramine. May require supplements of calcium and vitamins A, D and K, because a lack of bile nutrients you absorb not satisfactory. The drug ursodiol (urso-deoksicholic acid) appears to be somewhat slow disease progression and is generally well tolerated.

The best treatment for those who enter the final stages of the complications of a liver transplant. Forecast for liver transplant is very good, it is less clear whether the transplanted primary biliary cirrhosis of the liver re-appear.

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Ascites

Ascites is the accumulation of free fluid in the abdominal cavity.

Ascites occurs more often in long-term (chronic) than in short-term (acute) conditions. It most often occurs in cirrhosis, especially if caused by alcoholism. Ascites can also occur in conditions that do not affect the liver such as cancer, heart failure, kidney failure and tuberculosis.

In patients with liver disease, fluid leaks from the surface of the liver and intestines. Responsible is a combination of factors including the portal hypertension, decreased ability of blood vessels to retain fluid, fluid retention in the kidneys and changes of various chemical substances and hormones that control body fluids.

Causes of ascites

Liver Disease

• cirrhosis, especially cirrhosis caused by alcohol

• Alcoholic hepatitis without cirrhosis

• Chronic hepatitis

• Blockage of hepatic vein

Extrahepatic

• Heart failure

• Kidney failure, nephrotic syndrome, especially

• constrictive pericarditis

• carcinomatosis in which the cancer has spread to places in the abdominal cavity

• Tuberculosis, which affects the abdominal membrane

• Reduced active thyroid

• Inflammation of the pancreas

Symptoms and diagnosis

Small amounts of fluid in the abdomen do not usually make the symptoms, but large quantities causing abdominal distension and discomfort and dyspnea. When the doctor perkutira (bitch) the abdomen, the fluid creates a dull sound. When the stomach contains large amounts of fluid, the abdomen is tense, and the belly button (umbilicus) straight or even convex. In some people with the excessive ascites fluid swollen ankles (edema).

If the existence or cause of ascites is not clear, it can be used with. Alternatively one can take a small sample of fluid penetration of the needle through the abdominal wall, a diagnostic procedure called paracentesis. In identifying the causes can help laboratory fluids.

Treatment

Thorough treatment of ascites is bed rest in bed and no salt diet, usually combined with drugs called diuretics, which cause more fluid excretion in the urine. If ascites is causing difficulty in breathing or eating the food, fluid can be removed with a needle, a procedure called therapeutic paracentesis.

If the person does not take diuretics, the fluid tends to accumulate in the stomach again. Often the blood into the abdominal cavity are losing large amounts of albumin (the most frequent protein in the blood), and albumin may be given intravenously.

For unclear reasons, sometimes infected ascites fluid, especially in people with alcoholic cirrhosis. This infection is called spontaneous bacterial peritonitis treated with antibiotics. 

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The basic functions of the liver

The liver is the largest, and in some ways the most complex, organ in the body. One of its main function is degradation of harmful substances that are absorbed from the intestine or produced anywhere in the body, and their excretion as a harmless by-products into bile or blood.

Byproducts that are found in bile entering the intestine, then leave the body of a chair. Byproducts that are found in the blood is filtered in the kidneys and then leave the body through urine.

The liver produces about half of the body of cholesterol. The rest comes from food. About 80% of cholesterol the liver makes it is used for the production of bile. Cholesterol is an important part of life for each cell (cell) membrane and is required for the construction of certain hormones, including estrogen, testosterone and adrenal hormones.

The liver also converts substances in food probavljenoj in protein, fat and carbohydrates. Sugars are stored in the liver in the form of glycogen and then split and when required in the form of glucose released into the bloodstream, for example. when glucose levels become too low.

The second function of the liver is the creation (synthesis) of many important compounds, especially proteins that the body uses to perform its functions. Among these substances are necessary for blood clotting when bleeding.These substances are known as clotting factors.

The liver receives blood from the intestines and the heart. Small capillaries in the intestinal wall drain into the portal vein entering the liver. Blood then flows through the grid of fine ducts in the liver where processing digested food ingredients and all harmful substances. Hepatic artery carries blood to the liver from the heart. The blood carries oxygen to liver tissue, as such, as well as cholesterol and other substances for processing. Blood from the gut and heart are mixed and the hepatic vein flow back to the heart.

Abnormalities in liver function can be roughly divided into two groups: those caused by poor function of the liver cells (such as cirrhosis or hepatitis) and one caused by preventing the flow of bile from the liver through the biliary system (such as gallstones or cancer).

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Liver failure

Liver failure is difficult to deterioration of liver function.

Hepatic failure may be due to any kind of liver disorders including viral hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver damage by alcohol or drugs such as acetaminophen. To lead to liver failure has to be damaged by its substantial part.

Symptoms and diagnosis

A person with liver failure usually has jaundice, tendency to bruising or bleeding, ascites, damaged brain function (hepatic encephalopathy) and generally poor health. Other common symptoms include fatigue, weakness, nausea and loss of appetite.

In liver failure strongly suggests clinical indicators alone. Blood tests usually show a severely damaged liver function.

Prognosis and treatment

Treatment depends on the cause and specific clinical indicators. The person is usually placed on the restricted diet.Carefully controlled protein intake: too much protein can cause damage to brain function and cause weight loss too.

Intake of sodium should be reduced to a small amount to affect the accumulation of fluid in the abdomen (ascites).Alcohol should be completely avoided because it can worsen liver damage.

Liver failure is fatal if untreated or if the liver disease progresses. Hepatic failure may be impossible to repair, even after treatment. In terminal cases, the exhaustion of the liver, a person can die of kidney failure (hepatorenal syndrome). Liver transplantation, if done early enough, the person can return to normal, but is acceptable only for small number of patients with liver failure. 

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Alcoholic liver disease

Alcoholic liver disease is liver damage that occurs as a result of excessive alcohol intake.

Alcoholic liver disease is a common health problem that can be prevented. Generally, the amount of alcohol drunk (how much and how often) determines the risk and degree of liver damage. Women are more vulnerable to liver damage than men. Women who drink for years and so a small amount such as about 19 g of pure alcohol per day (184 g of wine, 370 g of beer or about 57 g of whiskey) may cause liver damage. The men who drink, and the relevant quantities as small as about 57 g per day (567 g of wine, beer 1134 g or 170 g of whiskey) can damage the liver. However, the amount of alcohol that damages the liver varies from person to person.

Alcohol may cause three types of liver damage: fat accumulation (fatty liver), inflammation (alcoholic hepatitis) and scarring of the liver (cirrhosis).

Obtain alcohol and calories without the essential nutrients, reduces appetite and causes poor absorption of nutrients due to its toxic effects on the gut and pancreas. As a result, people who regularly drink alcohol and not food appropriate, develop poor nutritional status (malnutrition).

Symptoms and diagnosis

Generally, the symptoms depend on how long and how much people drank. Heavy consumers of alcohol usually develop their first symptoms during their 30-ies with a tendency to strive for problems arising in their 40's it was.In men, alcohol can produce effects similar to those that occur because of too much estrogen and too little testosterone, stunted testicles and breast enlargement.

People with liver damage due to fat accumulation (fatty liver) usually have no symptoms. The third of these people, the liver is enlarged and sometimes sensitive.

Inflammation of the liver caused by alcohol (alcoholic hepatitis) can cause fever, jaundice, increase in the number of white blood cells and sensitive, painful, enlarged liver. The skin may occur similar to spider veins (so-called spider nevi).

A person with liver damage with scar changes (cirrhosis) may have few symptoms or a picture of alcoholic hepatitis.Such a person can have complications of alcoholic cirrhosis: the portal hypertension with an increase in the spleen, ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdominal cavity), kidney failure due to liver failure (hepatorenal syndrome), confusion (one of the main symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy) or liver cancer (hepato).

In some cases, to confirm the diagnosis of alcoholic disease, the doctor did a liver biopsy. In this procedure the skin is put through a hollow needle and takes a small piece of liver tissue for examination under a microscope.

In people with alcoholic liver disease, liver function test results may be normal or abnormal. However, the level in the blood of a liver enzyme, gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase in people who abuse alcohol can be particularly high.In addition, red blood cells (erythrocytes) are higher than normal, a sign informer. Platelet count may be low.

Prognosis and treatment

If the person continues to drinking alcohol, liver damage will progress and possibly end up deadly. If a person stops drinking, something of liver damage (other than scar tissue) can only recover and there are good chances that the person lives longer.

The treatment of alcoholic liver disease only helps stop drinking alcohol. This conduct can be extremely difficult, so most people should participate in an elaborate program of cessation of drinking (alcohol withdrawal).

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Primary sclerosing cholangitis

Introduction

Primary sclerosing cholangitis is an inflammation of the final scar changes and blockage of bile ducts inside and outside the liver.

In primary sclerosing cholangitis scar changes narrows and eventually clog pipes causing cirrhosis. The cause is unknown but is likely to be associated with immune system abnormalities. The disease most often affects young males. It usually occurs in people with inflammatory bowel disease, particularly ulcerative colitis.

Symptoms and diagnosis

The disease usually begins gradually with the growing fatigue, itching and jaundice. There might be attacks of pain in upper abdomen and fever caused by inflammation of the bile ducts, but they are uncommon. The infected person may have increased the liver and spleen or symptoms of cirrhosis. A person can develop and the portal hypertension, ascites and liver failure, which can lead to death.

The diagnosis is usually made by endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) or percutaneous cholangiography. In ERCP-in, after the bile ducts through the endoscope injected radiocontrast material, make the roentgenogram. In percutaneous cholangiography, radiographs are made after direct injection of radiocontrast agents bile ducts. To confirm the diagnosis may be needed Microscopic sample of liver tissue obtained hollow needle (liver biopsy).

Treatment and Prognosis

Some people have no symptoms even 10 years (after the disease is discovered by routine tests of liver function).Primary sclerosing cholangitis is usually progressively worsens.

Medications such as corticosteroids, azathioprine, penicillamine, and methotrexate have been shown to be very effective, and can cause serious side effects. Value ursodiola is unclear. Primary sclerosing cholangitis may require liver transplantation, which is the only known cure of this disease or death.

Repeated infections of bile ducts (bacterial cholangitis) is a complication of the disease and requires treatment with antibiotics. Narrow lines can be extended endoscopic or surgical procedure. In 10% - 15% of people with primary sclerosing cholangitis developed biliary tract cancer (cholangio). The tumor grows slowly and requires the use of a treatment of endoscopic procedures in order to put stents in bile ducts that the patient keep lines open. Sometimes it is necessary surgical treatment.

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Hepatic encephalopathy

Hepatic encephalopathy (also called portal-systemic encephalopathy, hepatic encephalopathy or hepatic coma) is a disorder in which brain function deteriorates because they accumulate in the blood of toxic substances, which would normally remove the liver.

Substances absorbed into the bloodstream from the intestine pass through the liver, where toxins are removed. In hepatic encephalopathy toxins are not removed, because the damaged liver. In addition, since the connections are created between the portal system and the general blood circulation (as a result of liver disease), some poisons can completely bypass the liver. The same effect can have bypass surgery that is built to improve portal hypertension (porto-systemic shunt). Whatever the cause, the outcome is the same: to get the poisons can damage the brain and its functions. What substances are toxic to the brain is not fully known, however, seems to be a role with high levels of degradation products of proteins, such as ammonia.

In people with long-term liver disease trigger encephalopathy is usually an event, eg. acute infection or a party where the drinking large quantities of alcohol, which increases the already existing liver damage. The trigger may be taking a lot of foods rich in protein which increases the level of their degradation products in the blood. The accumulation of degradation products of proteins, which can directly damage the brain, can cause bleeding in the digestive system such as that from esophageal varices. Some medicines, especially some sedatives, analgesics and diuretics, can also be a trigger for the formation of encephalopathy. When the causative factor is removed, the encephalopathy may disappear.

Symptoms and diagnosis

Symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy as a result of reduced brain function, particularly impaired consciousness. In the earliest stages appear slight changes in logical thinking, personality and behavior. There may be changes in the patient's mood disorder and judgment.

With the disorder progresses, the person usually becomes drowsy and confused, a speech and movements become sluggish. It is a common confusion. A person with encephalopathy may be agitated and excited, but not often.Epileptic seizures are also rare. Finally, a person can lose consciousness and fall into a coma.

Symptoms of the damaged brain function in people with liver disease provide a strong key to the diagnosis. Person's breath can have a sweet smell. When a person stretched out arms, hands can not keep still, but shows a rough shaking (tremor).

The early diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy may aid EEG (electroencephalogram). It shows abnormal brain waves, even in mild cases. Blood tests usually show abnormally high levels of ammonia.

Treatment

The doctor asks and seeks to remove the cause, such as infection or medication that a person takes. The doctor is also trying to remove the hose from toxic substances. Removed from the diet is protein, a major source of carbohydrate calories become taken orally (by mouth) or given intravenously. Synthetic sugar (lactulose), taken orally (by mouth), has three beneficial effects: it removes the acidity of the intestine by changing the type of bacteria present, reduces the absorption of ammonia and acts as a laxative.

They can be given and enema to clean. Sometimes a person instead of lactulose may take an antibiotic, neomycin.Neomycin reduces the intestinal bacteria that normally help to digest protein.

Hepatic encephalopathy is often the treatment can recover. In fact a full recovery is possible, especially if the encephalopathy was precipitated some fixable cause. However, the difficult people in a coma, which is the result of an acute inflammation of the liver, a condition in spite of intensive treatment in 80% of fatalities. 

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Hepatitis

Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver from any cause.

Hepatitis is usually caused by a virus, especially one of the five hepatitis viruses - A, B, C, D or E. Less commonly, hepatitis caused by other viral infections such as infectious mononucleosis, yellow fever and cytomegalovirus infection. Nevirusni main causes of hepatitis are alcohol and drugs. Hepatitis can be acute (lasting less than 6 months) and chronic. It occurs generally throughout the world.

• The hepatitis A virus spreads primarily through the stool of a person other mouth (fecal-oral route of spread).Such a transfer is typically due to poor hygiene. There are frequent outbreaks of water or food, especially in developing countries. Sometimes it is responsible eating contaminated raw shellfish. There are frequent and isolated cases due to contact from person to person. Most caused by hepatitis A virus causes no symptoms and go unrecognized.

• Hepatitis B virus is transmitted more difficult than hepatitis A. One of the ways that can be transmitted through contaminated blood or blood products. However, because of the precautions taken to ensure a safe blood supply, blood transfusions are rare in the United States responsible for the transmission of hepatitis B. Transmission usually occurs among drug users who share common pins and between gay men and heterosexual partners.Pregnant women infected with hepatitis B virus during childbirth may transmit the virus to their babies.

Risk of exposure to hepatitis B virus increases in patients who go on dialysis because of kidney disease or cancer in the departments and the hospital staff who come into contact with blood. At risk are people in indoor environments (such as prisons and institutes for mental illness), where there is a narrow mutual contact.

Hepatitis B can transmit healthy people who are chronic carriers of the virus. It is not clear whether the virus is transmitted insect bites. Many cases of hepatitis B have no known source. In some areas of the world such as the Far East and parts of Africa, hepatitis B virus is responsible for many cases of chronic hepatitis, cirrhosis and liver cancer.

• Hepatitis C virus causes at least 80% of cases of hepatitis that are due to blood transfusions, with many individual cases of acute hepatitis. The most commonly spread among drug users who each use the same needle. Transmission through sex is rare. Hepatitis C virus is responsible for many cases of chronic hepatitis and some cases of cirrhosis and liver cancer. For unknown reasons, and people with alcoholic liver disease often have hepatitis C, a combination of disease sometimes leads to significant loss of liver function than they would have caused any illness separately. It seems that a small portion of healthy chronic carriers of hepatitis C.

• Virus Hepatitis D occurs only as a common infection with hepatitis B virus infection and makes hepatitis B more severe. The relatively high risk beneficiaries to the drug.

• Hepatitis E virus causes occasional outbreaks similar to those caused by hepatitis A. So far, the outbreak occurred only in developing countries.

Acute viral hepatitis

Acute viral hepatitis is liver inflammation caused by infection with one of the five hepatitis viruses, with most people the inflammation begins suddenly and lasts only a few weeks.

Symptoms and diagnosis

Symptoms of acute viral hepatitis usually begin suddenly. Include poor appetite, malaise, nausea, vomiting and often fever. In smokers, the typical symptom of distaste for cigarettes. Sometimes, especially when infection with hepatitis B, people get joint pain and hives (a red skin rash that itches).

After several days, the urine becomes dark and jaundice may occur. Most of the symptoms at that time typically disappears and the person feels better, although the jaundice is getting worse. May develop symptoms of cholestasis (stagnation or reduction of bile flow), such as pale stools and general itching.

Jaundice is usually the strongest 1-2 weeks, then goes over 2-4 weeks.

Acute viral hepatitis is diagnosed based on symptoms and results of blood tests used to assess liver function. In about half of people with this disease, the doctor will find a delicate and slightly enlarged liver.

Acute viral hepatitis should be differentiated from several other diseases that cause the same symptoms, for example. influenza-like symptoms early in the disease may resemble other viral diseases such as influenza and infectious mononucleosis. Fever and jaundice and symptoms of alcoholic hepatitis that occurs in people who regularly drink substantial quantities of alcohol. The specific diagnosis of acute viral hepatitis may ask if blood tests indicate the viral proteins or antibodies against the hepatitis virus.

Forecast

Acute viral hepatitis can be expressed in a range from mild influenza-like illness to fatal liver failure. It is generally more severe than hepatitis B and hepatitis A sometimes fatal disease, especially in the elderly. The course of hepatitis C in some ways unpredictable: acute illness is usually mild, but the function of the liver can be fixed, and then repeated in a few months to worsen.

A person with acute viral hepatitis usually after 4-8 weeks of recovery, even without treatment. Hepatitis A is rarely, if ever, becomes chronic. In 5% - 10% of infected people become chronic hepatitis B, and can be mild or fully developed. Hepatitis C is most likely to become chronic in about 75% of cases. Although usually mild and often without symptoms, hepatitis C is a serious problem, because about 20% of affected people eventually develop cirrhosis.

A person with acute viral hepatitis may become chronic carriers (carriers) of the virus. In the state of carriers of the virus a person has no symptoms, but still addictive. This condition occurs only in the case of hepatitis B and C viruses and not A. Chronic carrier of the virus may eventually get cancer of the liver.

Treatment

People with unusually severe acute hepatitis may be necessary to accommodate the hospital, but in most cases, treatment is needed. After the first few days usually appetite returns and the person does not have to be in bed.They did not need any major restrictions of diet or activity or vitamin supplements. Most people can safely return to work after the jaundice disappears, although their liver function test results are not entirely normal.

Prevention

Good hygiene measures will help prevent the spread of hepatitis A. Since the stool of people with hepatitis A virus infection, contagious, health workers must handle stool samples with particular care. The same goes for the blood of people with any type of viral hepatitis. On the other hand, infected people do not have to be insulated, to a little help in preventing the transmission of hepatitis A, and will not prevent transmission of hepatitis B or C.

Medical personnel reduces the risk of infection by avoiding unnecessary blood transfusion blood transfusion, using blood donated by volunteers rather than paid blood donors and blood donors by searching all the virus B and C.Because of such a search of cases of hepatitis B and C transmitted by blood transfusion has decreased significantly, although not completely removed.

Vaccinated against hepatitis B stimulates the body's immune defenses and protects most of the good people.However, patients on dialysis, those with cirrhosis, and people with impaired immune systems gain less protection from the vaccine.

Vaccination is especially important for people who are at risk of infection with hepatitis B, although it is not effective when the disease has already occurred. Because of that general vaccination of all persons against hepatitis B is recommended in all large scale.

Hepatitis A vaccine given to all men of high risk of acquiring infection, such as passengers in parts of the world where the disease is widely prevalent. Against hepatitis C, D and E has no vaccine.

People who were not vaccinated and exposed to hepatitis may get protection for the preparation of antibodies (immune serum globulin). Antibodies have the right to protection against viral hepatitis, but the scope of protection varies widely in different situations. People who have been exposed, perhaps accidental needle prick blood of persons infected with hepatitis B immune antijela against hepatitis B provides better protection than normal serum immunoglobulin.

Newborns of mothers with hepatitis B immune globulin is given to the hepatitis B vaccine and the. This combination prevents chronic hepatitis B in about 70% of newborns.

CHRONIC HEPATITIS

Chronic hepatitis is inflammation of the liver that lasts at least 6 months.

Chronic hepatitis, although much less common than acute hepatitis, it can take years, even decades. It is usually quite mild and no symptoms or significant liver damage. In some cases, however, ongoing inflammation slowly damages the liver, eventually leading to cirrhosis and liver failure.

Causes

Hepatitis C virus is a common cause of chronic hepatitis, 75% of acute hepatitis C becomes chronic. The hepatitis B virus, sometimes with hepatitis D, causing a small percentage of chronic infection. Hepatitis A and E do not cause chronic hepatitis. Medications such as methyldopa, isoniazid, nitrofurantoin, and paracetamol can be also cause chronic hepatitis, especially when taking a long time. In children and young adults, chronic hepatitis can cause Wilson's disease, a rare hereditary disease with abnormal accumulation of copper.

No one knows exactly why the same viruses and drugs in some people cause chronic hepatitis, while others do not, that is why the degree of severity varies. The only possible interpretation is that the people who develop chronic hepatitis immune system over-reacts to the viral infection or the drug.

Many people with chronic hepatitis can not find the real cause. In some of them leads to the excessive reaction of the immune system that is responsible for chronic inflammation. This condition, called autoimmune hepatitis is more common in women than in men.

Symptoms and diagnosis

About a third of cases of chronic hepatitis develops after an attack of acute viral hepatitis. The rest are being developed gradually, without any apparent underlying diseases.

Many people with chronic hepatitis have no symptoms at all. In those who have them, the symptoms are often feeling sick, poor appetite and fatigue. Sometimes a person has a mild fever and a feeling of discomfort in the upper abdomen. Jaundice may develop, but not necessarily. Finally you can develop forms of chronic liver disease. This may include an enlarged spleen, blood vessels in the skin such as spiders and fluid retention. There may be other forms, especially in young women with autoimmune hepatitis. This can involve virtually any body system, including acne, cessation of menstrual cycles, joint pains, lung scarring, inflammation of the thyroid and kidney function and anemia.

Although symptoms and liver function test results provide useful diagnostic information for a definitive diagnosis is essential liver biopsy (taking a sample of tissue for examination under a microscope). Examination of liver tissue under the microscope allows a doctor to determine the severity of inflammation and whether it has developed scar tissue and cirrhosis. A biopsy can determine the real cause of hepatitis.

Prognosis and treatment

Many people have chronic hepatitis for years without developing liver damage that progresses.

In others the disease gradually worsens. When this happens the disease is the result of infection with viral hepatitis B or C, inflammation can be stopped protivirusni (antivirus) factor interferon-alpha. However, this drug is expensive, often have side effects and when to stop treatment, it is likely recurrence of hepatitis. Therefore, this treatment keeps the selected men with this infection.

Autoimmune hepatitis is usually treated with corticosteroids, sometimes together with azathioprine.

These drugs suppress inflammation, improve symptoms and improve long-term survival. However, scar changes (fibrosis) of the liver may gradually get worse. Discontinuation of treatment usually leads to relapse, and because most people are constantly taking medication. After a period of many years, 50% of people with autoimmune hepatitis will develop cirrhosis, liver failure, or both.

If the occurrence of hepatitis suspected a drug, people should stop taking it.

It seems that chronic hepatitis may disappear.

Regardless of the cause or type of chronic hepatitis, any complications such as ascites (fluid in the abdominal cavity) or encephalopathy (abnormal brain function) requires medical treatment. 

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Plants for the restoration of the liver

Herbs that help the restoration of liver

Liver (lat.hepar) is an organ that has many very important functions in the body. Protein synthesis, detoxification of chemicals, creating a biochemical molecules important for digestion of glycogen storage and production of blood proteins. Also, the liver produces bile, which is an important participant in digestion. Frequent komzumacijom large amounts of fatty and fried foods, coffee and alcohol, and smoking damaged his liver.

The good news is: the liver is renewed or regenerated, even if it is damaged more than 50%. The ability of liver regeneration is not yet fully understood, but it is of great importance for our health. How chemical compounds are now non-naturally occurring part of our normal diet (preservatives, flavors, colors), we use drugs, cosmetics, cleaning products, clothing, and how all these chemicals pass through our bodies and through our liver, SVKA help from Nature is welcome. In most cases, the liver manages to do the job of cleaning blood of toxins, but in some cases, the burden is too great and the liver needs help.

It is known that there are plants that protect and regenerate the liver. These are:

Sikavica

This plant has so far provided the best results in preventing and treating liver damage

The main ingredient in milk thistle is silymarin, a flavonoid that is being investigated as an aid in all forms of liver disease Silymarin has strong antioxidant and increases levels of glutathione

In the liver, glutathione is responsible for cleaning the liver from a wide range of toxins the body can be used to silymarin and therefore it should be treated with intermittent (two weeks of taking a two week break)

Dandelion

It is very useful when it comes to liver health of organs and other associated with it

It acts as a tonic to the liver and assists in its operation of this plant growing everywhere. Pick dandelion leaf, wash it and add it to salad

Licorice

Scientific studies have confirmed that licorice neutralizes toxins in the liver

It also increases the formation of interferon, which is commonly used to treat hepatitis B

Substance found in Sladic in some countries has become a standard part of therapy of hepatitis.

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Useful information about health and healthy diet you can find on:

www.medicineadviser.blogspot.com

www.haelthydiet.blogspot.com