Cirrhosis is a buildup of scar tissue in the liver caused by chronic damage and inflammation. Cirrhosis can be caused by a number of conditions, including hepatitis C.
The liver performs several essential functions in the body, including filtering and removing wastes and toxins. Chronic hepatitis C infection damages the liver, causing permanent cirrhosis that can further impair liver function.
If you have cirrhosis of the liver, you may not experience symptoms until the liver has suffered severe damage. Symptoms of cirrhosis can include:
If you experience any of these symptoms, see your doctor, particularly if you know you have hepatitis C. Your physician can diagnose cirrhosis with a number of tests. A blood test can determine the presence of anemia or liver function problems. Imaging tests, such as computed tomography (CT) scan or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), can detect an enlarged liver or reduced blood flow--two possible signs of cirrhosis. Finally, a liver biopsy can confirm the diagnosis, but may not always be necessary.
The hepatitis C virus replicates by invading the cells of the liver, called hepatocytes. An acute hepatitis C infection may clear spontaneously without damage to the liver. However, when the infection becomes chronic (lasting longer than six months), constant damage and inflammation in the liver can cause the formation of scar tissue associated with cirrhosis.
The National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse (2006) estimates that at least 20 percent of individuals with chronic hepatitis C develop cirrhosis of the liver, and that hepatitis C is one of the leading causes of cirrhosis in the United States.
Since hepatitis C often presents with few, if any, symptoms, it can cause undetected liver damage, including cirrhosis, for years before it's diagnosed. If you experience any symptoms of cirrhosis, report these to your doctor.
The buildup of scar tissue in the liver can cause a number of complications, including:
Severe cases of cirrhosis may cause liver failure and require a liver transplant. If you develop cirrhosis from hepatitis C, your risk of developing primary liver cancer increases.
Mayo Clinic. (n.d.). Cirrhosis. Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/cirrhosis/DS00373.
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. (2006). Chronic hepatitis C: Current disease management. Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/chronichepc/.
National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse. (2006). Cirrhosis. Retrieved October 10, 2010, from http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/cirrhosis/.
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