How to Manage Cirrhosis of the Liver

Cirrhosis of the liver is the end result of a variety of liver diseases. It is a symptom and not a specific disease. The word cirrhosis comes from the Greek word "kirrhos," meaning yellow, referring to the color of the liver in cases of advanced cirrhosis. Cirrhosis usually develops over a long period of time and almost always is irreversible. The following steps will show how to manage liver cirrhosis.

Difficulty: Challenging

Instructions

1. Ensure the patient gets enough calories and protein. Anorexia is a common problem for patients with cirrhosis and may be compounded when accumulated serous fluid compresses the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Beef may not be well tolerated and other forms of protein such as chicken, fish and vegetables should be eaten instead.

2. Undergo routine checkups. Patients with cirrhosis should receive their complete blood count, liver and renal chemistries, and prothrombin clotting time measured on a regular basis. A typical period would be every three to four months.

3. Provide zinc supplements, with 400 mg per day being a typical dosage. Cirrhosis frequently causes a zinc deficiency that can suppress the appetite and cause muscle cramps.

4. Conduct a routine endoscopy. This procedure is used to detect asymptomatic esophageal varices and should be done every two years. Varices should be treated with a nonselective beta-blocker such as nadolol or propranolol with a treatment goal of 25-percent reduction in heart rate.

5. Perform an endoscopic variceal ligation on patients who cannot tolerate beta-blockers. This operation is done to prevent future variceal bleeding.

Resources

• Learn more about managing cirrhosis of the liver.

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