According to the Brazilian Society of Hepatology, the illnesses of the liver are the eighth cause of death in Brazil. Among them is one of the best known, the cirrhosis.
Cirrhosis is known to be triggered by excessive alcohol consumption. However, little is known that there are also several other factors determinants in the manifestation of the disease, such as, for example, infections and metabolism changes.
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Cirrhosis is characterized by damage to the liver. The organ loses its function and walks towards complete failure.
The consequence of this is that the organ becomes fibrous and fails to carry out essential tasks for the organism, such as the processing nutrients and drugs, making proteins, and making bile, which aids in digestion.
Unfortunately, many of these conditions act silently, taking at least 10 years to manifest. There are cases where it can take more than 30 years to reach the final consequences, as well as liver failure, liver cancer and, in more serious cases, death.
As stated earlier, the symptoms are not common during the early stages of cirrhosis. However, as scar tissue builds up, the liver gradually loses its capacity. Therefore, the following signs and symptoms may occur:
The liver is responsible for breaking down toxins such as alcohol. However, if the amount of alcohol is too high, the liver will be overworked and the organ's cells will be overworked and thus become damaged.
In general, other consequences of excessive alcohol can manifest before alcohol-induced cirrhosis actually occurs, they are:
liver fat – Also called fatty infiltration or fatty liver disease, it is an accumulation of fat in the liver cells.
alcohol hepatitis – At that time, the liver cells swell and become inflamed.
The proper doctor to treat the disease is the gastro or hepatologist. These determine the patient's history and analyze the state of the liver from imaging tests such as ultrasound.
It is common to request biopsy tests in order to evaluate the tissue under a microscope, in order to monitor its development.
The best way to prevent this type of disease is to adopt a healthier lifestyle. That is, avoid excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages, high-calorie diets and self-medication.
It is also extremely important to protect against the hepatitis virus, especially type B, through vaccines, combined with the use of condoms, which in turn protects the body against the viral agent.
As it is a progressive disease where the liver is destroyed little by little, it is not considered a curable disease, however, from liver transplantation it is possible that the situation can be reversed and, then, a cure can be obtained viable.
When this option is not viable, it is possible to adopt measures that aim at the patient's quality of life.
In addition to changing habits related to diet, it is recommended to avoid excess salt, fried foods and meat. red, and meals should always be taken in small portions, divided along the day. Regarding the consumption of alcohol, it is completely prohibited.
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