Liver cirrhosis: symptoms, causes of disease, stage, diagnosis and treatment. Prevention of liver cirrhosis.
Content
- What is liver cirrhosis
- Causes of the cirrhosis and stage of development of pathology
- Cirrhosis: symptoms and signs
- Treatment of cirrhosis
Cirrhosis of the liver — The disease included in the six main causes of death in people at the most active age. The incidence of liver cirrhosis in the Russian Federation is one of the highest in the world. On average, according to WHO, the disease is diagnosed with 500-600 Russians per 100 thousand. Population.
What is liver cirrhosis
Cirrhosis of the liver — severe pathological condition characterized by substitution of liver cells with dense connective tissue. The process is irreversible and always ends with the death of the patient.
Liver — The most important organ in which the synthesis of almost all proteins and biologically active compounds occurs. For this reason, violations caused by cirrhosis covers almost all organs and systems of the body. For normal liver function, the preservation of the histological structure of the body is essential.
Causes of the cirrhosis and stage of development of pathology
The main causes of cirrhosis:
- alcoholism;
- Viral hepatitis type B and C;
- liver fluid dystrophy;
- Acute or chronic inxication of chemicals (methanol, ethylene glycol, hydrocarbon compounds, drugs, etc.);
- chronic heart failure with venous stagnation;
- Pathology of biliary tract (biliary cirrhosis);
- Hereditary and genetic diseases (Wilson's disease, fibrosis and others.).
Stages of liver cirrhosis
Cirrhosis arises not instantly. Its development is preceded by several consecutive stages:
- Healthy liver. The function of the organ is not broken, no changes on the microscopic level.
- The beginning of the main disease, damage and death of hepatocytes. Depending on the cause, it may occupy years (alcoholism) or months, weeks, in rare cases, days (with acute hepatotoxic substances poisoning). At this stage there are damage and death of liver cells. For example, chronic alcohol intoxication causes dystrophic changes, there is a reactive inflammation of the liver tissue (alcohol hepatitis). Violation of the function of the cell leads to its liquidation of the immune system. Direct cytotoxic influence on hepatocyte.
- Replacement of liver tissue with fibroblasts forming focus of fibrosis and sclerosis (germination of the organ with connective tissue).
- Directly cirrhosis. Accompanied by liver failure and deep violation of the liver function.
- Terminal stage of liver failure. Death occurs due to uncontrolled bleeding or body intoxication.
Cirrhosis: symptoms and signs
The first signs of the liver cirrosis may appear much later on the basis of the disease. These are minor symptoms that most patients pay attention to.
Among them:
- Severity in the right hypochondrium;
- vague pains in the same area;
- dyspeptic phenomena;
- weight loss, loss of appetite;
- pain in the joints;
- constipation;
- Weakness and ailment.
Despite minor manifestations, the diagnosis can be made at this stage.
Symptoms of cirrhosis, signs of violation of the liver function
Signs of liver disorders:
- vascular stars on the skin, or teleangectasia;
- increase liver, severity and pain in the right hypochondrium;
- the jaggility of the skin and mucous membranes;
- Gynecomastia — an increase in dairy glasses, especially in men;
- neurological and mental disorders due to the effects of toxins on the CNS;
- characteristic «hepatic» the smell of the patient due to the accumulation of dimethyl sulfide in the blood;
- redness of the skin palms, or palman erythema;
- Skin itch.
Symptoms of cirrhosis, deployed stage
Symptoms of portal hypertension:
- increase the spleen;
- varicose veins of the esophagus and hemorrhoids;
- ascites — Cutting fluid in the abdominal cavity. Ascites during cirrhosis of the liver is known as a symptom “Belly frogs”;
- Expansion of the superficial veins of the abdomen — symptom “Heads jellyfish”.
Terminal stage of cirrhosis:
- bleeding and uncontrolled bleeding from the veins of the esophagus due to portal hypertension against the background of blood intake disabilities;
- liver encephalopathy (confusion of consciousness, coma);
- acute renal failure;
- death on one of the above reasons or due to complications.
Treatment of cirrhosis
Treatment of cirrhosis:
- diet (with high protein content, low fat, alcohol is excluded);
- hepatoprotectors;
- Ursodeoxycholic acid is long;
- laxatives;
- disintellation therapy;
- Vitaminotherapy.
Treatment is aimed at slowing the progression of the disease. In the terminal stage, the patient's life can only liver transplant.
