Liver Failure

The liver is responsible for many processes in the body, and in the case of liver failure, this will definitely affect the overall health.

Liver failure

Liver failure means that the liver isn’t capable of working properly as it should. There are two types of liver failure: acute liver failure, which occurs within days or weeks, and chronic liver failure, which occurs within months or years.

Liver failure usually develops gradually in stages, starting with hepatitis, then fibrosis (a scarring in the tissue resulting from chronic inflammation), after that cirrhosis, and finally liver failure.

Causes of liver failure

Generally, liver failure occurs due to the excess pressure on the liver.

Causes of acute liver failure:

• Acetaminophen (paracetamol) overdose, which is the most common cause.
• Other drugs, such as nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and certain antibiotics.
• Hepatitis A, hepatitis B, hepatitis E, Epstein-Barr virus, cytomegalovirus (CMV), varicella-zoster virus, and herpes simplex virus (HSV).
• Toxins.
• Genetic disorders, like autoimmune hepatitis and Wilson disease.
• Pregnancy complications in rare conditions.
• Other causes include cancer, heatstroke, and septic shock.

Causes of chronic liver failure:

• Heavy and chronic alcohol consumption.
• Toxic hepatitis.
• Chronic infections.
• Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis.
• Bile duct obstruction.
• Certain autoimmune diseases, such as primary biliary cholangitis and primary sclerosing cholangitis.
• Inherited disorders, such as Wilson disease, Gaucher disease, and hemochromatosis.
• Cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Symptoms of liver failure

Early symptoms of liver failure include:

• Pain in the upper right abdomen.
• Loss of appetite.
• Nausea and vomiting.
• Weakness and extreme tiredness.

After that, bile and toxins will start to build up in the blood due to the advancement of the liver disease. This causes:

• Jaundice.
• Skin Itchiness.
• Dark-colored urine with or without light-colored stool.
• Hepatic encephalopathy, which causes altered mental status.

Symptoms of chronic liver failure:

• Difficulty digesting foods, especially fats.
• Tiny and yellow bumps of fat deposits on the eyelids or skin.
• Bleeding and bruising easily.
• The blood vessels become visible like a rash, small dots, or spiders.
• Muscle and weight loss.
• Bad breath.
• Serious issues might also occur, such as ascites, edema in the limbs and face, bloody vomit, shortness of breath, decreased urine amount, and lapses in muscle control.

Complications of liver failure

• Cerebral edema.
• General toxicity.
• Increased susceptibility to infections due to the reduced immunity.
• Bleeding disorder.
• Kidney failure.
• Malabsorption and malnutrition.

Diagnosis of liver failure

• Blood tests.
• Imaging tests.
• Liver biopsy.

Treatment of liver failure

• Treating the cause if this is possible.
• Managing the complications.
• Liver transplant when needed.

Prevention of liver failure

• Don’t take any drug without following the instructions.
• Limit alcohol consumption.
• Don’t eat anything without knowing whether it has toxins or not.
• Get your vaccines.
• Stay away from others’ blood.
• Get regular checkups.
• Maintain a healthy weight and take care of your health in general.