What is Liver Disease?
Liver disease is a term for a collection of conditions, diseases, and infections that affect the cells, tissues, structures, or functions of the liver. Liver disease refers to any disorder of the liver.

Symptoms of Liver Disease
Symptoms partly depend on the type and the extent of liver disease. In many cases, there may be no
symptoms. Signs and symptoms that are common to a number of different types of liver disease
include:
• depression
• darkened urine
• vomiting
• diarrhea
• nausea
• tiredness
• jaundice, or yellowing of the skin
• loss of appetite
• unusual weight loss or weight gain
• light-colored stools
• abdominal pain in the upper right part of the stomach
• malaise, or a vague feeling of illness
• generalized itching
• varicose veins (enlarged blood vessels)
• hypoglycemia (low blood sugar)
• low grade fever
• muscle aches and pains
• loss of sex drive

Causes
Liver disease can be caused by various factors include:
• congenital birth defects, or abnormalities of the liver present at birth
• metabolic disorders, or defects in basic body processes
• viral or bacterial infections
• alcohol or poisoning by toxins
• certain medications that are toxic to the liver
• nutritional deficiencies
• trauma, or injury

Diagnosis
A doctor can diagnose the patients by symptoms, medical history, and physical exam. Many further
tests may also be used to support the diagnosis. These include blood tests, such as:
• liver function tests -- blood tests that check a wide variety of liver enzymes and byproducts
• a complete blood count -- look at the type and number of blood cells in the body
• abdominal X-rays
• ultrasounds -- show size of abdominal organs and the presence of masses
• an upper GI study-- detect abnormalities in the esophagus caused by liver disease
• liver scans with radiotagged substances--show changes in the liver structure
• ERCP, or endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography. A thin tube called an endoscope is used to
iew various structures in and around the liver.
• abdominal CT scan or abdominal MRI, which provide more information about the liver structure and
function

In some cases, the only way to diagnose certain liver diseases is liver biopsy. It means the removal of a
tiny piece of liver tissue for examination under a microscope. Liver biopsies may have to be done
repeatedly to see how the disease is progressing or responding to treatment.

Treatments
Treatment will depend on the type and the extent of diseases. For example, treating hepatitis B, C and
D may involve the use of medications such as the antiviral medication alpha interferon. Other
medications used to treat liver disease may include ribavirin, lamivudine, steroids, and antibiotics.
Vitamin and mineral supplements are given to prevent complications from primary cirrhosis. These
include vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin K, and calcium. Cholestyramine may be given to help
relieve itching.
Acute fulminant hepatitis can lead to life-threatening liver failure. This requires a hospital stay and
treatment for the bleeding disorder, encephalopathy, and nutritional problems. Sometimes, the only
effective treatment for certain liver diseases is a liver transplant

Prevention and treatment of liver disease
Take no alcohol
Have a good rest,
Drink extra fluids to prevent dehydration,
Avoid unnecessary medications, but antinausea medications as needed
Have a well balanced diet
Use recommended safety precautions in healthcare and day care work
Avoid toxic substances