Liver disease: prevention tips and advances in treatment

Liver diseases are those that affect the liver. These diseases may manifest acutely, causing symptoms such as fatigue, loss of appetite and yellowing of the skin or mucous membranes (called jaundice), or chronically. Chronic liver disease do not usually produce symptoms on initial or these symptoms are very nonspecific: fatigue, weight loss or loss of appetite. Only when there is advanced liver disease, including cirrhosis, symptoms such as swelling of the abdomen or legs or bleeding in the form of vomiting blood or digested blood stools (melena) occur.

Why liver diseases occur and what causes

The causes of liver disease are multiple. The most common are:- Excessive consumption of alcoholic beverages- Viral hepatitis Virus A, B, C, D or E- Auto - immune diseases such as primary biliary cholangitis (formerly called primary biliary cirrhosis), the primary sclerosing cholangitis and autoimmune hepatitis- Metabolic diseases such as hemochromatosis or Wilson 's disease- Liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma majority's)

Risk factors in the onset of disease

In liver disease, which can easily be avoided is produced by alcohol abuse, avoiding the habit. The discreet drinking does not cause liver disease.

However, virus liver diseases are more difficult to prevent, but the absence of drug intravenously or by nasal or unsafe sex inhalation, can prevent them .

In addition, vaccination against hepatitis B, especially in people with risk practices can prevent transmission of hepatitis B. We can also prevent hepatitis A vaccination.

Advances in the treatment of liver diseases

Currently there has been a huge advance in the treatment of liver diseases in all fields. Thus, we can cure hepatitis C in more than 90% of cases with oral treatments with minimal side effects. Hepatitis B can be controlled in 95% of cases but need treatment with oral antivirals indefinite in most patients.

In general most autoimmune diseases can be controlled and remain stable with treatment if detected early by the specialist in Gastroenterology .

In the case of complications decompensated liver cirrhosis or liver cancer localized known criteria (Milan criteria) liver transplantation obtained excellent results in survival and quality of life.