Which organ of the body is affected by cirrhosis?

Cirrhosis is scarring (fibrosis) of the liver caused by long-term liver damage. The scar tissue prevents the liver working properly. Cirrhosis is sometimes called end-stage liver disease because it happens after other stages of damage from conditions that affect the liver, such as hepatitis.


Which body organ is most affected by cirrhosis?

Put simply, cirrhosis is scarring of the liver. Any time an organ is injured, it tries to repair itself. And when this happens, scar tissue forms. As more scar tissue forms in the liver, it becomes harder for it to function.

What other organs does cirrhosis affect?

In addition to complications relating to the liver, patients with cirrhosis and portal hypertension develop extrahepatic functional disturbances of multiple organ systems. This can be considered a multiple organ failure that involves the heart, lungs, kidneys, the immune systems, and other organ systems.


How is the body affected by cirrhosis?

Cirrhosis is a late-stage liver disease in which healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue and the liver is permanently damaged. Scar tissue keeps your liver from working properly. Many types of liver diseases and conditions injure healthy liver cells, causing cell death and inflammation.

What body system does cirrhosis fall under?

Cirrhosis is a long-term (chronic) liver disease. The damage to your liver builds up over time. The liver is your body's largest internal organ.


Alcoholic Liver Disease, Animation



What are the two types of cirrhosis?

Stages of Cirrhosis
  • There are 2 stages of cirrhosis: compensated cirrhosis and decompensated cirrhosis (clinical stages)
  • The stages are dynamic and progressive, but there is potential reversibility from the decompensated to compensated stage.
  • Compensated cirrhosis is the asymptomatic stage.


What are three symptoms of cirrhosis?

The main symptoms of cirrhosis include:
  • tiredness and weakness.
  • feeling sick (nausea) and loss of appetite resulting in weight loss.
  • red patches on your palms and small, spider-like blood vessels on your skin (spider angiomas) above waist level.


What causes death from cirrhosis?

Patients who have developed complications of cirrhosis, such as variceal hemorrhage, ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), hepatorenal syndrome, or hepatopulmonary syndrome, are considered to have decompensated cirrhosis. These complications are the primary causes of death in ESLD.


What is the most common cause of death in patients with cirrhosis?

Although the overall leading cause of death in patients with cirrhosis is liver-related, the most common causes of mortality in patients with NAFLD cirrhosis is non-hepatic malignancy, cerebrovascular disease, and diabetes.

What are three complications of cirrhosis?

Major complications of cirrhosis include ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatic encephalopathy, portal hypertension, variceal bleeding, and hepatorenal syndrome.

What are the 4 stages of cirrhosis?

Cirrhosis is classified into four stages that include:
  • Stage I: Steatosis. The first stage of liver disease is characterized by inflammation of the bile duct or liver. ...
  • Stage II: Scarring (fibrosis) of the liver due to inflammation. ...
  • Stage III: Cirrhosis. ...
  • Stage IV: Liver failure or advanced liver disease or hepatic failure.


What is the most common complication of cirrhosis?

Ascites is the most common complication of cirrhosis[7]. It is also the most common complication that leads to hospital admission[29]. Approximately 15% of the patients with ascites will die in one year and 44% will die in five years[6].

Does cirrhosis affect the kidneys?

Renal failure is a common complication of cirrhosis and is a poor prognostic indicator. Patients with severe liver dysfunction can develop HRS, characterized by a marked reduction in renal blood flow and hemodynamic disturbances.

Is cirrhosis a liver or kidney?

Cirrhosis refers to scarring of the liver. Decompensated cirrhosis happens when this scarring becomes so severe that the liver can't function properly. Anything that damages the liver can result in scarring, which could eventually turn into decompensated cirrhosis.


What are the 4 warning signs of a damaged liver?

If signs and symptoms of liver disease do occur, they may include:
  • Skin and eyes that appear yellowish (jaundice)
  • Abdominal pain and swelling.
  • Swelling in the legs and ankles.
  • Itchy skin.
  • Dark urine color.
  • Pale stool color.
  • Chronic fatigue.
  • Nausea or vomiting.


Does cirrhosis damage the heart?

Patients with liver cirrhosis present an impaired ventricular ejection of fraction under physical stress compared with non-cirrhotic subjects. This is mainly related to inadequate heart rate response and decreased myocardial contractility under exercise [43,44].

How long can a cirrhosis patient live?

Life expectancy by stage

Compensated cirrhosis: People with compensated cirrhosis do not show symptoms, while life expectancy is around 9–12 years. A person can remain asymptomatic for years, although 5–7% of those with the condition will develop symptoms every year.


How do you know death is near with liver failure?

Changes that can occur with end-stage liver disease include: jaundice; increased risk of bleeding; buildup of fluid in the abdomen; and.

What are the signs of end of life cirrhosis?

As cirrhosis progresses, the most common symptoms are:
  • weakness.
  • fatigue.
  • loss of appetite.
  • nausea.
  • vomiting.
  • weight loss.
  • abdominal pain and bloating when fluid accumulates in the abdomen.
  • itching.


What is the best treatment for liver cirrhosis?

If cirrhosis progresses and your liver is severely damaged, a liver transplant may be the only treatment option. This is a major operation that involves removing your diseased liver and replacing it with a healthy liver from a donor.


How painful is cirrhosis?

Pain is a common symptom among patients with chronic liver disease or cirrhosis, and prescriptions for analgesic medications are often provided [1,2]. In a systematic review of five studies, the prevalence of pain in patients with end-stage liver disease ranged from 30 to 79 percent [1].

How long does final stage of cirrhosis last?

Patients with compensated cirrhosis have a median survival of 6–12 years. Decompensation occurs in 5%–7% annually; median survival then declines to 2 years. Child-Turcotte-Pugh (CTP) and Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) scores are the most widely used tools for prognostication.

Can you recover from cirrhosis?

There is no cure for cirrhosis, but removing the cause can slow the disease. If the damage is not too severe, the liver can heal itself over time.


How do you test for cirrhosis?

Magnetic resonance elastography (MRE) may be recommended. This noninvasive advanced imaging test detects hardening or stiffening of the liver. Other imaging tests, such as MRI, CT and ultrasound, may also be done.

Can the liver heal itself from cirrhosis?

Cirrhosis. Cirrhosis is a stage of ARLD where the liver has become significantly scarred. Even at this stage, there may not be any obvious symptoms. It's generally not reversible, but stopping drinking alcohol immediately can prevent further damage and significantly increase your life expectancy.