Chronic liver disease

Introduction to chronic liver disease The liver is the largest digestive gland in the human body and is the central station of material energy metabolism in the body. It is estimated that there are more than 500 chemical reactions occurring in the liver. First, it secretes bile to help digest the diet; it supplies the absorbed amino acid synthesis protein to our body energy, allowing us to energetically complete the day's work; it can store and burn body fat, control our body shape; it is fat soluble Vitamin storage organ; it can also oxidize, reduce, decompose toxins in the body, devour bacteria that are accidentally eaten into the body, and is the body's largest detoxification organ. Experiments have shown that animals can only survive for more than 50 hours after giving complete treatment after complete removal of the liver. This shows that the liver is an essential organ for life-sustaining activities. basic knowledge Sickness ratio: 0.05% Susceptible people: no specific population Mode of transmission: partial blood transmission, digestive tract transmission Complications: liver cancer, hepatitis B, liver enlargement

Causes of chronic liver disease

The cause of liver disease:

Microbial infection:

Infections of various pathogenic microorganisms, such as viruses, bacteria, parasites, protozoa, etc., among which hepatitis virus is the most important. Drug and toxic damage, due to the increasing opportunities for human exposure to chemicals and drugs, drug and toxic diseases have also increased.

Metabolic abnormalities:

Metabolic abnormalities, because the liver is the center of material metabolism, any substance metabolism is closely related to the liver, such as abnormal metabolism of biliary pigment can cause jaundice, abnormal fat metabolism can lead to fatty liver, abnormal copper metabolism causes lenticular nucleus degeneration.

envirnmental factor:

About 70% of liver diseases are currently thought to be caused by three major environmental factors: viruses, chemicals, and alcohol (or malnutrition).

Genetics:

Approximately 15% is associated with genetic factors of metabolism or other congenital abnormalities.

Chronic liver disease prevention

1, fasting to induce liver wind food and hair such as chicken, shrimp and crab, eggplant, pickles, salted fish and mud food such as dish, taro, sweet potato, spring bamboo shoots, white and so on.

2, advocate physical exercise, such as early climbing, Tai Chi, gymnastics, or pickpockets and other light and appropriate exercise, avoid Qigong, Nanquan, long-distance running. After three meals, I advocate walking, and I can do a hundred steps after a meal. I can't stay in bed after dinner.

Chronic liver disease complications Complications, liver cancer, hepatitis B, liver

Systemic symptoms: Patients with hepatitis B often feel physically weak, prone to fatigue, and can't afford the spirit. The reasons may be impaired liver function, reduced eating, food digestive disorder, and inadequate intake of nutrients. On the other hand, due to inflammation, the consumption is increased, and the acquired substances are impaired in liver function and cannot be fully metabolized to meet the needs of the body. The third aspect may be the mental and psychological stress caused by hepatitis B, affecting rest and sleep, insomnia, dreams, etc. may be related to this.

Extrahepatic manifestations: Many patients with chronic hepatitis, especially cirrhosis, have dark complexion, called liver disease, which may be due to endocrine disorders, skin pigmentation, or due to persistent or repeated jaundice, caused by urinary chlorosis. The palm of the hand and the small fish are obviously congested and called the liver palm. A cluster of radially expanding capillaries on the skin is called spider mites, ranging in diameter from a few millimeters to a few centimeters, and is fading, usually on the face, neck, chest, and back of the hand. Spider mites can occasionally be distributed throughout the body. Males may have erectile dysfunction, symmetrical or asymmetrical breast hyperplasia, swelling and pain, and may even be misdiagnosed as breast cancer, performing mastectomy; women may have menstrual disorders, amenorrhea, loss of libido. These may be related to decreased liver function, decreased estrogen inactivation, and increased estrogen in the body.

Symptoms of chronic liver disease Common symptoms Liver disease face liver palm liver enlargement Liver function impaired liver steatosis

Because the disease may be misdiagnosed as flu, or because some patients do not have any symptoms, many cases of hepatitis have not been diagnosed. Common hepatitis symptoms are:

1, loss of appetite; 2, fatigue; 3, low fever; 4, muscle or joint pain; 5, nausea, vomiting; 6, abdominal pain.

Signs:

1. The liver is slightly swollen and can touch the liver with soft or medium hardness, or tenderness or sputum pain. Some cases may have no signs.

2, some cases may appear liver disease face, manifested as dark complexion, yellowish brown, rough, lip color dark purple, etc.; can also cause facial telangiectasia, spider mites and liver palm, some patients may have splenomegaly.

3, sclera or skin yellow staining, later than the symptoms of digestive tract.

Chronic liver disease examination

1. Liver function test:

(GOT, GPT): When the liver cells are necrotic, GOT and GPT are released into the blood after the destruction of the liver cell membrane (GOT and GPT are not only present in the liver cells but also in other parts of the body, such as muscles. Cells, brain cells, cardiomyocytes, etc., so elevated GOT and GPT are not necessarily all manifestations of impaired liver function, but they are the highest in liver cells. Therefore, some people think that it is called "inflammation index of liver". A liver function index is more suitable. The level of GOT and GPT does not have a certain relationship with the severity and prognosis of liver disease. Sometimes the immune system causes hepatocyte necrosis in order to remove the virus. At this time, the GOT and GPT values will rise, so GOT and GPT cannot be used alone. To judge whether the liver is out of order.

2. Abdominal ultrasound examination:

Although the blood test can reflect the liver function of the patient, it does not provide a clear message for cirrhosis or liver cancer. Especially for patients with partial cirrhosis and liver cancer, the liver function test results are sometimes within the normal range, and May be asymptomatic. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct blood tests and cooperate with ultrasonic examination.

3. Blood alpha-fetoprotein (AFP/fetal protein) check:

Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP/fetal protein) is an important indicator for the current examination of liver cancer. AFP/AFP is a manifestation of active growth of hepatocytes, so a small number of normal and pregnant women can be elevated than normal people. The growth of hepatocytes is active, and the alpha-fetoprotein/AFP secreted by them is significantly higher than that of normal people (so it can be called fetal protein). AFP can pass the placental barrier and increase the AFP in the mother's blood. When the growth of hepatocytes is active, AFP may also increase, but the degree of elevation is generally mild or the duration is short. When the alpha-fetoprotein/AFP is significantly increased or progressively elevated, it may be liver cancer. Specialist, go to the hospital for examination as soon as possible.

Diagnosis and identification of chronic liver disease

In addition to clinical symptoms and signs, the following examination methods are commonly used to provide a basis for diagnosis: 1 liver function test, commonly used in the determination of various serum enzymes and serum protein. 2 imaging examination, including X-ray examination, esophageal barium meal imaging, X-ray tomography, B-mode ultrasound examination. 3 radionuclide liver scan. 4 Liver biopsy. 5 laparoscopy.

A large number of immunological studies are being carried out on liver diseases, which plays an important guiding role in the clinical diagnosis and treatment of liver diseases, and also indicates the direction for future research work.

The material in this site is intended to be of general informational use and is not intended to constitute medical advice, probable diagnosis, or recommended treatments.