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| | Title: | What are Treatments for Cirrhosis? | | Article: | Treatment of cirrhosis is often more experimental than
an established clinical standard. Cirrhosis is
considered as irreversible disease. So, the treatment
targets the original liver disease leadng to
cirrhosis. The goal is to slow or halt the progression
of the disease. Stopping alcohol use is one of the
major steps. Avoiding drugs toxic for liver and
avoiding environmental toxins is important too. Iron
overload in hemochromatosis and copper overload in
Wilson’s disease may be treated by different methods,
beginning from avoiding food with iron and copper,
ending with special chelating agents, which bind
metals. Chronic viral hepatitis B and C are treated
with interferon and other antiviral medications.
Primary biliary cirrhosis is often treated with
ursodiol that helps to remove bile. Autoimmune
hepatitis is difficult to treat. It requires
suppression of immunity.
Corticosteroids and immunosuppressive drugs are in
use.
Another part of treatment is the management of
complications of liver cirrhosis.
To treat bleeding esophageal varicose veins, your
doctor may use endoscopic sclerotherapy. In this case
doctor puts endoscope (fiber optic instrument) into
your esophagus and injects stuff or puts a rubber band
in order to collapse the abnormally dilated blood
vessels. To manage portal hypertension, beta-blockers
(blood pressure medications) are used.
Low sodium diet helps to manage ascites and swellings.
Diuretics are helpful too. Hepatic encephalopathy
requires diet low in proteins. Lactulose changes the
bacteria growth in your guts and eventually prevents
accumulation of the toxic substances damaging brain.
Healthy liver usually removes those substances, but
cirrhotic one does not. Lactulose has other effects
too.
Peritonitis, which happens in advanced cirrhosis, is
treated with antibiotics.
Coagulation disorders require special management.
Ultimately, liver transplantation is the treatment of
the end-stage liver cirrhosis. Patients with primary
biliary cirrhosis have poor prognosis and often
require transplantation. Liver transplantation is
usually not done after the age of 70.
It is always beneficial to avoid alcohol
Treatment of liver fibrosis is experimental.
Some research in animals shows that investigational
drug may suppress the processes of liver scarring
(fibrosis). Other studies with drugs similar to some
anti-diabetic drugs in people with liver fibrosis find
that liver inflammation and fibrosis can be
suppressed.
Find More Information at:
American Liver Foundation
www.liverfoundation.org
Hepatitis Foundation International
www.hepfi.org
RDoctor diagnostics on-line
www.rdoctor.com
United Network for Organ Sharing
www.unos.org | | Author: | Aleksandr Kavokin, MD, PhD | | System: | Liver | | Subject: | Cirrhosis | | Abstract: | Chronic viral hepatitis B and C are treated
with interferon and other antiviral medications.
Treatment of liver fibrosis is experimental.
| | Website: | www.kavokin.com | | Time: | 20:30 | | Reference: | www.rdoctor.com | | Reference 2: | |
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Articles by Aleksandr Kavokin, MD, PhD
Doctor-Robot (Free section)