It takes a liver biopsy to know if a person has simple fatty liver or NASH. But the possible though infrequent complications and cost of a liver biopsy make this impractical to do for everyone with NAFLD.
Scientists are trying to find noninvasive ways to identify who is at the greatest risk for fibrosis, and thus who should go on to have a liver biopsy. Possible approaches include biomarkers and scoring systems based on blood tests such as the NAFLD fibrosis score and Fibrosis-4 index , as well as elastography a technology which uses soundwaves to estimate fibrosis based on the stiffness of the liver.
If you have been diagnosed with fatty liver disease, it is important to keep your liver as healthy as possible and avoid anything that can damage your liver. Here are some important things you should do. Unfortunately, there are no FDA-approved medications for fatty liver disease. When symptoms are present, they usually include:. Currently, researchers believe genes, certain health conditions, diet, and the digestive system may all play a role.
Additional risk factors include health issues that often occur along with obesity, such as type 2 diabetes and metabolic syndrome a group of traits and conditions linked to living with obesity.
NAFLD usually has no symptoms. The condition is typically diagnosed after a blood test finds higher-than-normal levels of liver enzymes. A standard blood test could reveal this result.
High levels of liver enzymes could also suggest other liver diseases. An ultrasound of the liver can help reveal excess fat in the liver.
Greater stiffness suggests greater scarring. If these tests are inconclusive, your doctor may recommend a liver biopsy. In this test, the doctor removes a small sample of liver tissue with a needle inserted through your abdomen. The sample is studied in a lab for signs of inflammation and scarring. Even though the side effects of NAFLD often go unnoticed, if you have symptoms such as right-side abdominal pain, jaundice, or swelling, see a doctor as soon as you can.
If cirrhosis is not slowed or stopped, it can result in liver failure, which means your liver can no longer do its job. Instead, your doctor will most likely recommend several important lifestyle changes. These include:. You may even be able to reverse liver damage in the earliest stages of the disease. If you believe you may be at risk for developing this condition, your doctor can help you figure out if you need any additional testing done. The good news is that the same lifestyle choices that can manage NAFLD can also help manage, or reverse, other health issues such as type 2 diabetes, high cholesterol, and metabolic syndrome.
Lifestyle changes can help reduce your risk for fatty liver disease and damage. The good news is your liver can begin to regenerate when alcohol is no longer an everyday factor.
For many people, a cocktail or a beer can be a familiar and comforting part of their social lives in the evening. At the start of , a new coronavirus caused a global crisis, leaving millions in a state of isolation. Unsurprisingly, the pandemic drove a surge in alcohol sales through the most grueling of months.
The negative impact on physical and mental health is profound, highlighting the risk of choosing alcohol as a coping strategy for stress and depression, among other mental health issues. But what sorts of health impactions come with too much drinking aside from the dreaded hangover? The liver is a vital organ responsible for breaking down and filtering out harmful substances in the blood.
It also manufactures proteins, enzymes, and hormones that the body uses to ward off infections and illnesses. Further, it converts necessary vitamins, nutrients, and medicines into substances that our body can use. The liver, effectively, services our bodies to detoxify our blood and store glycogen for energy. Unfortunately, alcohol can greatly impact the duties our liver is instructed to carry out, leading to severe liver complications. Over , people in the U. Alcohol poisoning kills about six people every day.
Cirrhosis-related deaths in the U. However, it is limited in the amount it can process at one time. When an individual has too much to drink, the alcohol left unprocessed by the liver circulates through the bloodstream. The feeling of intoxication is a result of the excess liquor leftover being carried throughout the body.
Depending on their body weight, size, and gender, alcohol may impact everyone differently. Women have been shown to absorb more alcohol than males, so they are more prone to liver damage sooner. Binge drinking, on the other hand, encompasses four or five drinks in a row and can also result in liver damage. Chronic or heavy drinkers face a greater chance of contracting liver diseases.
0コメント