Cirrhosis Treatment

Cirrhosis is a chronic liver condition in which the organ becomes scarred as a response to chronic damage. The liver has many body functions, including manufacturing nutrients, purifying blood and detoxifying the body. The scarring caused by cirrhosis is not reversible, so the condition will eventually cause the liver to fail. Causes of cirrhosis include chronic alcohol use, cystic fibrosis, hepatitis B and C, fatty liver disease and problems with the bile ducts. Treatment depends on the cause, but when it is caused by another medical condition, controlling that condition is key.

Avoiding Alcohol

• One of the most common causes of cirrhosis in the United States is alcoholism, according to the National Institutes of Health. Heavy alcohol consumption begins to damage the liver because it is forced to work to hard. The amount of alcohol consumption that will cause cirrhosis varies from person to person, but people who are diagnosed with cirrhosis need to stop drinking completely. If patients cannot stop drinking on their own, their doctor may recommend a treatment program to fight the addiction.

Managing Complications

• Because cirrhosis is a chronic condition and the damage to liver is irreversible, treatment in many cases focuses on managing and treating complications. One common complication is the buildup of fluid in the body, called edema. In mild or moderate cases, water pills may be prescribed or a low-sodium diet will be recommended. In severe cases, excess fluid may be have to be drained. Other complications include infections, which can be treated with antibiotics, and increased blood pressure in certain veins, which can be controlled with blood-pressure medications. Most cirrhosis patients will also be screened for liver cancer, because the condition increases a person's risk for it.

Liver Transplant

• When cirrhosis reaches advanced stages and the liver begins to fail, some patients may be placed on the waiting list for a liver transplant. In a liver transplant, a patient's diseased liver is removed and replaced with a healthy liver from an organ donor or a piece of a liver from a live donor. Not all cirrhosis patients will be eligible for a transplant, however. For example, people who continue to abuse alcohol will not be able to receive a transplant.