Last Stages of Cirrhosis

The Basics

Cirrhosis is a term used to describe a very specific type of liver disease. Cirrhosis is chronic, which means that it is long-lasting. When a person has cirrhosis their liver is essentially failing. The body tissues that make up the liver are dying and being replaced with scar tissue, causing the liver to have to work harder to do its job until it ultimately stops working altogether. One common cause of cirrhosis is an excessive consumption of alcohol. Taking more than the recommended dosage of some pain-relieving medications can also eventually lead to cirrhosis. Hepatitis (types "B" and "C") can also result in the development of the disease.

The Last Stages

The last stages of cirrhosis are the stages in which the liver begins to completely shut down. Symptoms of these stages can include an increased frequency of fevers. A person's complexion can also take on a yellowish appearance during these last stages. In addition, patients exhibit symptoms ranging from bad breath to the presence of blood during vomiting. Certain people will experience a general loss of hair in the pubic areas of their body, as well as a feeling of tingling and numbness in their extremities (the hands and feet) as the flow of blood to the body slows down. In extreme cases the last stages of cirrhosis can result in a person going into a coma.

Side Effects

In addition to the failing of the liver, the last stages of cirrhosis take a negative toll on the entire body. During these stages a person can be stricken with a variety of bleeding disorders. People can also experience an abnormal buildup of abdominal fluid that can result in infection. In addition, a person can develop hypertension as their blood pressure begins to rise due to the liver having to work harder and harder to perform its basic functions. As the liver fails, the kidney also begin to falter, which will release a variety of dangerous toxins into the body. Extreme cases may lead to liver cancer as the cell tissues of the liver begin to die off.

References

• Cirrhosis of the Liver Stages
• Cirrhosis