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- $Unique_ID{BRK01627}
- $Pretitle{}
- $Title{Is it Possible to Develop Cirrhosis Without Being a Big Drinker?}
- $Subject{cirrhosis causes Digestive System Drinker liver blood clotting bile
- enzymes Alcohol abuse hepatitis hemochromatosis Wilson Wilson's Disease copper
- appetite loss nausea vomiting weight loss itching abdominal swelling jaundice
- Drinkers Drinking Drink drinks Alcoholism Alcoholic Alcoholics}
- $Volume{I-8}
- $Log{
- Cirrhosis of the Liver*0009700.tid
- Normal, Fatty, and Cirrhotic Livers*0009701.scf
- What Causes Cirrhosis of the Liver*0009702.scf
- Symptoms of Cirrhosis of the Liver*0009703.scf
- Diseases of the Liver*0016101.scf}
-
- Copyright (c) 1991-92,1993 Tribune Media Services, Inc.
-
-
- Is it Possible to Develop Cirrhosis Without Being a Big Drinker?
-
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- QUESTION: Is it possible for a person to develop cirrhosis though he is not a
- big drinker? Could you please explain a bit about cirrhosis, for we have been
- given very little information by the doctor.
-
- ------------------------------------------------------------------------------
-
- ANSWER: Cirrhosis is actually a group of diseases that cause serious damage
- to the body's largest organ--the liver.
- As cirrhosis progresses, normal liver cells are replaced by scar tissue.
- Since the liver provides the body with very important functions, the disease
- is often fatal. The liver is involved in producing blood clotting factors,
- blood proteins, bile and more than a thousand different enzymes, as well as
- performing many other crucial roles.
- Alcohol abuse is by far the leading cause of this disease, which kills
- more than 30,000 Americans a year. There are, however, several other
- conditions that lead to cirrhosis. A small percentage of people who suffer
- from chronic hepatitis develop cirrhosis. Diseases such as
- hemochromatosis--when the body does not handle iron properly--and Wilson's
- Disease--when the body handles copper abnormally--can cause cirrhosis.
- Congenital and inherited conditions also cause this liver disease. Conditions
- in which the body is not able to utilize sugar properly or deficiencies of
- specific enzymes in the liver can lead to cirrhosis. In rare cases, a severe
- reaction to drugs, environmental toxins, some forms of heart disease,
- parasitic conditions or obstruction of the bile ducts can cause scar tissue to
- form on the liver.
- When cirrhosis of the liver begins, it is often silent, showing no signs
- or symptoms.
- But eventually, a sufferer may experience a loss of appetite, nausea,
- vomiting, weight loss, itching, an enlarged liver, increased sensitivity to
- drugs, vomiting of blood, abdominal swelling and jaundice. Many patients
- never develop any symptoms, but lab tests may discover the disease when they
- are performed for other ailments.
- Further deterioration of the liver can often be stopped once cirrhosis is
- diagnosed, if proper treatment is started at once.
- In the large majority of cases of cirrhosis due to alcoholism, the
- easiest way to stop the disease is total abstinence from drinking and a
- wholesome diet, complete with needed nutrients and vitamins.
-
- ----------------
-
- The material contained here is "FOR INFORMATION ONLY" and should not replace
- the counsel and advice of your personal physician. Promptly consulting your
- doctor is the best path to a quick and successful resolution of any medical
- problem.
-
-