Causes of cirrhosis
Cirrhosis is a common chronic, progressive, diffuse liver disease with a variety of causes, and the main causes vary from region to region.
In my country, the primary cause of cirrhosis is viral hepatitis, especially chronic viral hepatitis B and C. Long-term viral hepatitis infection can lead to persistent inflammation and fibrosis of the liver, and eventually develop into cirrhosis.
In addition, chronic alcoholism is also one of the important causes of cirrhosis. Long-term heavy drinking can lead to fatty degeneration, inflammation and fibrosis of the liver, forming alcoholic cirrhosis.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) has also gradually become one of the common causes of cirrhosis in recent years. This condition is often closely related to metabolic diseases such as obesity, diabetes and metabolic syndrome.
Other causes include liver damage caused by drugs or chemical toxins, genetic and metabolic diseases, autoimmune liver disease, parasitic infections, and circulatory disorders.
Treatment of cirrhosis
The goal of cirrhosis treatment is to remove the cause, control the progression of the disease, and treat complications symptomatically to delay the progression of the disease and improve the quality of life of patients. Etiological treatment is the basis and key to the treatment of cirrhosis.
For cirrhosis caused by viral hepatitis, antiviral treatment is the main treatment. For example, ①: Hepatitis B patients can use nucleoside analogs or interferon for antiviral treatment
②: Patients with alcoholic cirrhosis need to strictly abstain from alcohol.
③: Cirrhosis caused by non-alcoholic fatty liver disease needs to reduce the burden on the liver by controlling weight and managing blood sugar.
Drug treatment is also an important part of the treatment of cirrhosis.
▸ Commonly used drugs include anti-inflammatory and liver-protecting drugs, such as glycyrrhizic acid preparations, bicyclol, polyene phosphatidylcholine, etc. These drugs can reduce liver cell damage and protect liver function.
▸ For ascites caused by cirrhosis, diuretics can be used for treatment.
▸ In addition, for common complications of patients with cirrhosis, such as esophageal varicose bleeding, hepatic encephalopathy, etc., corresponding symptomatic treatment is also required. For example, esophageal varicose bleeding can be controlled by endoscopic sclerosing agents or band ligation therapy.
▸For patients with end-stage cirrhosis, liver transplantation is currently the most effective treatment. After a successful transplant, the patient's cirrhosis symptoms and related complications will be significantly improved.
How to prevent cirrhosis
The prevention of cirrhosis needs to start from multiple aspects, mainly including active treatment of primary liver diseases, maintaining a healthy lifestyle and regular physical examinations.
▸First, for people who already have liver diseases, such as patients with viral hepatitis, they should be actively treated and managed. For example, patients with hepatitis B should regularly undergo liver function tests and viral load tests, and receive antiviral treatment according to the doctor's advice.
▸Secondly, maintaining a healthy lifestyle is essential to preventing cirrhosis. Long-term and heavy drinking should be avoided to reduce alcohol damage to the liver. At the same time, maintain a healthy weight and prevent obesity. Obesity is an important factor in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, which is one of the important causes of cirrhosis.
▸In addition, a diversified diet, regular consumption of high-quality protein such as soy products, fish and shrimp, reducing the intake of smoked and grilled foods, and avoiding eating moldy foods and high-salt foods can also help protect liver health. Finally, regular physical examinations can help detect liver disease early. For high-risk groups, such as long-term drinkers and those with a family history of liver disease, regular liver function tests and liver ultrasound examinations should be performed. Early detection and treatment of liver disease can effectively prevent the occurrence of cirrhosis.
