What is cirrhosis?

• Cirrhosis of the liver is a condition in which healthy tissue is replaced by scar tissue.
• This blocks the flow of blood through the liver, and prevents it from functioning as it should.
• As a result, wastes and toxins that the liver normally removes stay in the body and build up, causing damage and disease.

What can cause cirrhosis?

• The most common causes of cirrhosis in the U.S. are chronic alcoholism and viral hepatitis.

How can alcohol lead to cirrhosis?

• Alcohol injures the liver by blocking the normal metabolism of protein, fats and carbohydrates.
• Cirrhosis usually develops after more than a decade of drinking. The amount of alcohol that can cause harm in this way varies from person to person, and especially between the sexes.
• As few as two or three drinks a day has been linked with cirrhosis in women. In men, the level is around three or four drinks a day.

What about viral hepatitis?

• Viral hepatitis is the other main cause of liver cirrhosis. It's a blood-borne virus that spreads from person to person through sexual contact or contact with infected blood.
• Viral hepatitis causes inflammation of the liver and gradual low-grade damage.
• Over the course of several decades, this damage can lead to cirrhosis and eventually death.

How can I tell if I have cirrhosis?

• In the early stages of the disease there are no symptoms, but as it progresses symptoms include exhaustion, fatigue, loss of appetite, nausea, weakness, weight loss, abdominal pain and spider-like blood vessels that develop on the skin.
• Cirrhosis also causes numerous complications in the body: fluid can accumulate in the legs and abdomen, the skin can bruise easily, and the palms of the hands can become reddish or blotchy. Jaundice, a yellowing of the eyes and skin, can also occur.
• Toxins that the liver used to remove can build up in the brain, leading to confusion, irritation, lowered mental functioning and other problems.
• Diabetes and bacterial infections are some of the complications arising from cirrhosis. It can also lead to serious liver disease, cancer and death.

How can cirrhosis be avoided?

• If you're a drinker, cirrhosis is best prevented by drinking in moderation. Heavy drinkers should talk with their doctor about ways to quit drinking.
• Multiple sex partners and recreational drug injection are risk factors for viral hepatitis. Practicing good sexual habits and avoiding drug use are the best ways to prevent the disease.
• Though treatment for cirrhosis can delay or halt its progression, damage to the liver remains. The best way to stay healthy is avoid getting cirrhosis in the first place.