Chronic liver disease

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Chronic liver disease is a liver disease of slow process and persisting over a long period of time, resulting in a progressive destruction of the liver.

The treatment of chronic liver disease depends on the cause. While some conditions may be treated with medications, others may require surgery or a transplant. Transplant is required when the liver fails and there is no other alternative ^[1]. Because many chronic liver disorders have no cure, many people have been turning to alternative health care. Herbal supplements are widely used by many people with chronic liver disease. None of these herbs have ever been tested in randomized clinical trials and no one knows whether they work. Some common herbs known to be potentially harmful in liver disease include black cohosh, ma huang, chaparral, comfrey, germander, greater celandine, kava, mistletoe, pennyroyal, skull cap and valerian.

Template:WH Template:WS

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Template:WH Template:WS

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Life-threatening causes include conditions which may result in death or permanent disability within 24 hours if left untreated.

• Alcoholic liver disease
• Autoimmune hepatitis
• Cirrhosis
• Gaucher disease
• Hemochromatosis
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• Hepatoma
• Portal hypertension
• Primary biliary cirrhosis
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis
• Sarcoidosis
• Wilson’s disease
• Zellweger syndrome

• Alcoholic liver disease
• Autoimmune hepatitis
• Cirrhosis
• Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
• Epstein Barr virus (EBV)
• Gaucher disease
• Hemochromatosis
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• Hepatoma
• Metabolic
• Methotrexate
• Nitrofurantoin
• Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
• Portal hypertension
• Primary biliary cirrhosis
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis
• Right heart failure
• Sarcoidosis
• Wilson’s disease
• Zellweger syndrome

Template:WH Template:WS

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Template:WH Template:WS

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Template:WH Template:WS

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

• Health care professionals who are exposed to body fluids and infected blood
• Individuals who get multiple tattoos and body piercing
• Certain prescription medications
• Excessive alcohol use
• Having high levels of fat in the blood
• Sharing infected needle and syringes
• Obesity
• Having unprotected sex and multiple sex partners
• Working with toxic chemicals without wearing safety clothes

Template:WH Template:WS

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

• Portal hypertension
• Hypoalbuminaemia
• Coagulopathy
• Hepatopulmonary syndrome
• Hepatorenal syndrome
• Encephalopathy
• Hepatocellular carcinoma (also called hepatoma)

Prognosis is assessed by

• Model for End-Stage Liver Disease
• Child-Pugh score

Template:WH Template:WS