Cirrhosis (Liver Cirrhosis)
What is Cirrhosis (Liver Cirrhosis)?
Cirrhosis is severe scarring of the liver that develops over many years. When your liver gets damaged repeatedly, healthy tissue gets replaced by scar tissue. This scar tissue blocks blood flow through the liver and prevents it from working properly. Your liver does over 500 jobs, including filtering toxins, making proteins, and storing energy.
As cirrhosis progresses, the liver loses its ability to perform these essential functions. Early cirrhosis may not cause any symptoms. Advanced cirrhosis can lead to liver failure, a life-threatening condition. The good news is that stopping further damage can prevent cirrhosis from getting worse.
Cirrhosis develops in stages, from mild scarring to severe damage. Catching liver problems early gives you the best chance to protect your liver and maintain quality of life. Blood testing helps track liver inflammation and function over time.
Symptoms
- Fatigue and weakness that interferes with daily activities
- Easy bruising or bleeding that takes longer to stop
- Yellowing of the skin and eyes, called jaundice
- Fluid buildup in the abdomen, known as ascites
- Swelling in the legs and ankles
- Itchy skin that persists despite moisturizing
- Loss of appetite and unintentional weight loss
- Nausea and vomiting
- Confusion or difficulty concentrating, called hepatic encephalopathy
- Spider-like blood vessels visible on the skin
- Redness in the palms of the hands
Many people with early cirrhosis have no symptoms at all. Liver damage can be present for years before you notice any problems. This makes regular blood testing important for anyone at risk of liver disease.
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Causes and risk factors
Cirrhosis develops when the liver gets damaged repeatedly over time. Chronic alcohol use is one of the most common causes in the United States. Long-term heavy drinking damages liver cells and triggers inflammation. Viral hepatitis, especially hepatitis B and C, also causes cirrhosis by creating ongoing liver inflammation. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease is becoming increasingly common. This happens when too much fat builds up in the liver, often related to obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome.
Other causes include autoimmune hepatitis, where your immune system attacks your liver. Genetic conditions like hemochromatosis cause iron buildup that damages liver tissue. Wilson disease causes copper accumulation in the liver. Blocked bile ducts, certain medications, and toxins can also lead to cirrhosis. Your risk increases with age, long-term viral infections, heavy alcohol use, obesity, and diabetes. Men develop cirrhosis slightly more often than women.
How it's diagnosed
Doctors diagnose cirrhosis using blood tests, imaging studies, and sometimes liver biopsy. Blood tests measure liver enzymes like Alanine Aminotransferase, or ALT, which shows liver inflammation. In cirrhosis, ALT levels can vary widely depending on how much functional liver tissue remains. Rising ALT suggests ongoing damage or a new injury to the liver. Declining ALT with worsening symptoms may mean the liver has less functional tissue left.
Rite Aid tests measure ALT and over 200 biomarkers twice yearly to help you monitor liver health. Imaging tests like ultrasound, CT scans, or MRI can show liver scarring and complications. A FibroScan measures liver stiffness without surgery. Sometimes doctors recommend a liver biopsy to confirm the diagnosis and determine the severity. Regular testing helps catch liver problems early when interventions work best.
Treatment options
- Stop all alcohol consumption immediately to prevent further liver damage
- Treat the underlying cause, such as antiviral medications for hepatitis B or C
- Lose weight gradually through diet and exercise if you have fatty liver disease
- Eat a balanced diet with adequate protein unless your doctor advises otherwise
- Reduce salt intake to help manage fluid buildup
- Avoid medications and supplements that can harm the liver
- Get vaccinated against hepatitis A and B if not already immune
- Medications to manage complications like fluid retention, infections, or confusion
- Regular screening for liver cancer and esophageal varices
- Liver transplant evaluation for advanced cirrhosis and liver failure
Concerned about Cirrhosis (Liver Cirrhosis)? Get tested at Rite Aid.
- Simple blood draw at your nearest lab
- Results in days, not weeks
- Share results with your doctor
Frequently asked questions
Liver damage is a general term for any injury to liver cells. Cirrhosis is advanced, permanent scarring that develops after years of repeated liver damage. Early liver damage can often heal if you remove the cause. Cirrhosis involves scar tissue that cannot reverse, though stopping further damage prevents progression.
Many people with early cirrhosis live for years with good quality of life. The key is stopping further liver damage and managing complications. People with compensated cirrhosis, where the liver still functions adequately, often maintain normal activities. Advanced cirrhosis requires closer medical monitoring and may limit daily activities.
Cirrhosis typically develops over 10 to 20 years of ongoing liver damage. The timeline varies based on the cause and individual factors. Heavy alcohol use may cause cirrhosis faster than viral hepatitis. Some people develop cirrhosis more quickly due to genetic factors or multiple risk factors working together.
The scar tissue in cirrhosis cannot be reversed. However, stopping the cause of damage can prevent cirrhosis from getting worse. Some studies show that treating hepatitis C or stopping alcohol can improve liver function over time. Early intervention gives the liver the best chance to maintain remaining function.
ALT and other liver enzymes help detect liver inflammation and damage. In cirrhosis, ALT levels vary depending on remaining liver function and ongoing injury. Other helpful tests include albumin, bilirubin, and platelet count. A pattern of abnormal results over time suggests chronic liver disease that may progress to cirrhosis.
ALT comes from liver cells called hepatocytes. As cirrhosis advances, fewer functional hepatocytes remain to release ALT. A declining ALT with worsening symptoms suggests the liver is losing functional tissue. This makes tracking trends over time more important than a single test result.
Avoid alcohol completely, as it causes further liver damage. Limit salt to reduce fluid buildup in your body. Avoid raw or undercooked seafood due to infection risk. Limit processed foods high in sodium and unhealthy fats. Some people need to moderate protein intake if they develop hepatic encephalopathy.
Yes, cirrhosis significantly increases liver cancer risk. About 1 to 5 percent of people with cirrhosis develop liver cancer each year. Regular screening with ultrasound and blood tests helps catch cancer early when treatment works best. Managing cirrhosis and treating the underlying cause reduces cancer risk.
Liver transplant becomes necessary when cirrhosis causes life-threatening complications. These include repeated fluid buildup, bleeding varices, severe confusion, or liver cancer. Your doctor uses scoring systems to determine when transplant evaluation is appropriate. Many people with compensated cirrhosis never need a transplant if they stop further damage.
Most doctors recommend blood tests every 3 to 6 months for people with cirrhosis. Testing frequency depends on how stable your condition is. Regular monitoring helps detect complications early and track how well treatments are working. Rite Aid offers testing twice yearly to help you stay on top of liver health.