The liver is a state of the liver in which it is not functional at all. It shuts off and ceases to carry out its usual activities. The severity of the liver failure determines whether a transplant can be done or not. The failure of a liver happens slowly over a period of time until it completely stops functioning as it should. There is a more common type of liver failure than the other, which is Chronic Liver Failure. The other one is called Acute Liver Failure.
TYPES OF LIVER FAILURE
Acute Liver Failure
It is a medical emergency where the liver’s capacity to cope is tempered and causes the whole body to respond negatively. It can manifest as an infection that is viral sometimes. This happens fast and requires a quick medical admission.
Chronic Liver Failure
This is a gradual damage of the liver, where an entity or a particular cause of harm happens over a period of time. This leads to scarring, thus leading to failure. This kind of damage is irreversible.
STAGES OF LIVER FAILURE
Hepatitis
this is when the organ in question is inflamed, and this marks the genesis of a long term injury. If this persists, fibrosis manifests.
Fibrosis
this scarring of the tissue is caused by inflammation caused by hepatitis. A tissue hardens the liver as it progresses. It can be reversible if the liver cells generate well.
Cirrhosis
this is an irreversible scarring of the liver. In this stage, the liver is deprived of its healthy tissues that it works with. This is a permanent infirmity.
Liver Failure
this is a point where the organ is stripped of its ability to function, especially when paired with cirrhosis. Complications are detected from all over the body.
SYMPTOMS AND SIGNS OF LIVER FAILURE
- Abdominal pain
- Fatigue
- Vomiting or nausea
- Loss of appetite
- Jaundice
- Pruritus
- Dark colored pee
- Weight loss
- Musty smelling breath
- Shortness of breath
WHAT CAUSES LIVER FAILURE
Acute Liver Causes
this type of failure occurs in people with no history of liver disease. It happens when something seriously damages the liver. This can be an infection that attacks the liver directly. The attacks include viral infections, drug overdoses, pregnancy complications, genetic disorders and miscellaneous causes.
Chronic Liver Causes
this happens as a result of cirrhosis. The scars of the liver kill the cells, and the liver dies gradually. There are several diseases caused by chronic liver which include chronic infections, chronic alcohol use, toxic hepatitis, metabolic dysfunction, bile duct obstruction, autoimmune disease, inherited metabolic disorders and cardiovascular diseases.
MANAGEMENT AND TREATMENT
There are various treatment methods for liver failure, which involve:
- Managing liver failure complications
- Treating the cause
- Liver transplant
- IV fluids
- IV nutrition
- Blood glucose
- Antibiotics
- Blood transfusion
- Oxygen therapy
- Vasopressor
- Medications or treatments to stop internal bleeding
- Dialysis
In conclusion, liver failure is caused by infection attacks from excessive drinking, drug overdose, pregnancy complications and genetic disorders. Liver failure can be irreversible or be treated depending on how serious the failure has gone. Some of the treatments include IV fluids, IV nutrition and transplants. In case of any liver symptoms, one should be quick to visit a gastroenterology hospital for diagnosis and quick treatment.
