The liver is the largest organ in the body. It is involved in many metabolic functions. Learn about degenerative diseases that can drastically reduce the functioning of the liver and ways to treat such diseases.
The liver is the largest organ in the body and performs many vital functions. The liver is the body's principal metabolic factory, turning food into substances that are utilized by the different cells of the body. It supplies quick energy, metabolizes alcohol, makes proteins, stores vitamins and minerals, regulates blood clotting and detoxifies poisons. The liver cells are very susceptible to the effects of poisons and degenerative conditions. You cannot survive without a liver, so these degenerative diseases of the liver are important to know about.
There is a condition known as fatty liver. This is a lesion on the liver and is caused by an inappropriate diet. While starvation and overeating both can cause fatty
liver disease, and it is also common in alcoholism, an imbalanced diet is the most frequent cause of this condition. If the cause of the fatty liver is removed early enough, complete recovery is usual. However, if the condition is allowed to persist, recovery is usually not possible. Sometimes with this condition the liver cells will undergo what is called a necrosis. This means the cells basically die off.
Acute hepatitis is a sudden inflammation of the liver caused by one of several viruses: Hepatitis A, B, C, or D. (Incidentally, although these viruses all attack the liver and are named similarly, they are not all closely related genetically.) A few attacks of hepatitis seem to caused by yet undiscovered viruses. Hepatitis A is spread from person to person by poor personal hygiene or when water or food is contaminated by sewage. This is why this disease is quite common in developing countries with inadequate sanitation. The symptoms of hepatitis A are similar to other viral infections such as muscle and joint aches, headache, and weakness. The most prominent symptoms include nausea and weight loss. Jaundice, a yellowing of the skin and whites of the eyes, may appear. Usually, the hepatitis clears up without treatment in two to eight weeks. In a very few cases, the hepatitis may rapidly progress to cause liver failure and death without
a transplant. Fortunately, there is a vaccine available.
Both hepatitis B and C are spread from person to person two main ways: contact with infected blood and sexual activity with an infected person. Hepatitis B and C may be transmitted from a pregnant woman to her fetus. The blood of someone infected with either hepatitis B or C is highly infectious during the incubation period (which is usually
six to twelve weeks, sometimes longer, between the time you were infected to the time symptoms appear). It is so infectious that you are up to 60 times more likely to catch
hepatitis from an infected person than HIV, the virus that causes AIDS. Some people are lifelong carriers. Blood banks now routinely screen for the two types of hepatitis that are transmitted through the blood. A vaccine for hepatitis B is available. The vaccine is so effective, and the virus so dangerous, that hospitals are required by law to offer the vaccine to their employees.
Hepatitis D causes the same symptoms and is transmitted the same way as hepatitis B and C, but you cannot be infected with D unless you are already infected with B. Therefore, if you have the hepatitis B vaccine, you are immune to D as well.
Anyone who has had an attack of acute hepatitis may develop chronic hepatitis. However, some people develop chronic hepatitis without ever developing acute hepatitis.
Chronic hepatitis is classified into two main types: persistent hepatitis, and chronic active hepatitis. In both types, the body's immune system responds in a way that may damage liver cells. In persistent hepatitis, progression of the illness is slow, and the patient usually remains in good health for a long time. Chronic active hepatitis is less predictable. In many cases there is a steady, progressive destruction of the liver cells. In
others the disease comes and goes at times in response to treatment. The severity of chronic active hepatitis varies from case to case. For some people there are acute
flare-ups; for others, the disease may only be detected by a blood test. Most people recover within one to three years of treatment.
You have probably heard of cirrhosis of the liver. This is a chronic disease that causes slow deterioration of the liver. Damage to the liver from one of many causes
changes its structure by replacing the functional cells with scar tissue. When this happens the liver becomes less able to carry out its functions. The most common cause of this in the United States is alcohol addiction. Heavy drinking makes the liver susceptible to inflammation. Malnutrition, hepatitis, parasites, toxic chemicals, drug reactions, and congestive heart failure are also other possible causes of the disease. Overdosing on
acetaminophen (the most common source of this is Tylenol) also can lead to the cause of cirrhosis, especially during or after alcohol use, as for a hangover. The symptoms in the
early stages are absent or mild. As the disease progresses loss of appetite, weight loss, nausea, vomiting, weakness and abdominal distention all become more pronounced.
Eventually liver failure will develop, memory is impaired, and life threatening bleeding from enlarged veins may also occur. When cirrhosis develops as a result of chronic
active hepatitis, the outlook for recovery is poor. In contrast when it develops as a result of heavy drinking the outlook is promising if the individual stops or lessens the
consumption of alcohol. The disease progresses at different rates depending on circumstances. Early detection and treatment is the best chance for recovery. In cases where the progression is advanced a liver transplant is often needed.
Tumors also can develop on the liver. Benign tumors (unlikely to spread) are rare and can be removed easily. Malignant tumors (likely to spread) are more common on
the liver. There are two types of malignant tumor. The majority are called metastases, which are cancers that have spread from other parts of the body via the bloodstream or
lymph system. Cancer may start in the liver but it is rare and it is usually associated with prior infection. The treatment is often the same for other types of cancer: drugs, radiation or chemotherapy. In some cases cancerous parts of the liver can be removed.
It is important to discuss any concerns you may have about these diseases with your physician. If you plan on doing any traveling to developing countries you definitely should make a mention of this to your physician. He or she may require that you have the Hepatitis A and B vaccines before traveling and also knowledge of how to prevent other infections of the liver.
