The Babe of the week is none other than, ShiRika Gal Power!!
Hunk of the week
The Hunk of the week is none other than, pravin vinz Power!!
FYI: Liver Disease
Welcome to our 2nd segment on SI. Firstly, we want to thank you all for supporting and giving us your feedback on our first segment. Well for this week's medical issues, we're going to talk about Liver Diseases. As we all know, the Liver is the largest internal and 2nd most vital organ in the body. Most of us always seem to indulge in alcohol, but are we aware of its risk? The major health risks of alcoholism include liver disease, heart disease, certain forms of cancer, pancreatitis, and nervous system disorders.
Overview of the Liver
The liver is a vital organ located in the upper right-hand side of the abdomen. Somewhat larger than the size of a football, it performs numerous functions for the body: converting nutrients derived from food into essential blood components, storing vitamins and minerals, regulating blood clotting, producing proteins and enzymes, maintaining hormone balances, and metabolizing and detoxifying substances that would otherwise be harmful to the body. The liver also makes factors that help the human immune system fight infection, removes bacteria from the blood, and makes bile, which is essential for digestion.
What is liver disease?
Liver disease is categorized both by the cause and the effect it has on the liver. Causes may include infection, injury, exposure to drugs or toxic compounds, or a genetic defect. These causes can lead to hepatitis, cirrhosis, stones that develop and form blockages, fatty liver, and in rare instances liver cancer. Genetic defects can prevent vital liver functions and lead to the deposition and build-up of damaging substances, such as iron or copper.
Hepatitis
There are two major forms of hepatitis: one in which the liver is inflamed quickly (called acute hepatitis) and one in which the liver is inflamed and damaged slowly, over a long period of time (called chronic hepatitis). While hepatitis can be caused by any of the means mentioned above, most commonly it is due to infection by one of several viruses, termed hepatitis viruses. These viruses have been named in the order of their discovery as hepatitis A, B, C, D, and E.
Hepatitis A is spread through infected water and food and is especially common in children. Adults may experience symptoms such as jaundice, nausea, diarrhea, and fatigue, but children often do not even know they have been exposed to the virus.
Hepatitis B is found throughout the world. Hepatitis B can be spread by exposure to blood, through sexual relations, and from mother to baby. Symptoms of hepatitis B may be absent, mild and flu-like, or acute. Most people will get better without any intervention, but about 1-3% will become chronically infected, able to continue to infect others, and often experience chronic progressive damage to the liver. Those with weakened or compromised immune systems are at an increased risk to become chronically infected (about 10%). Newborns are especially vulnerable, with over 90% becoming chronically infected.
Hepatitis C is spread mainly by exposure to contaminated blood. Some mechanisms of exposure include the sharing of needles or other 'works' used in consuming drugs such as cocaine or heroin; use of contaminated equipment for activities such as body piercing and tattooing; occupational exposure of healthcare workers to used needles or other sharp objects; through sexual activity that results in tissue tears; from mother to baby during childbirth; or from cuts sustained during athletic or other activity. Hepatitis C is less common than hepatitis B as a cause of acute hepatitis, but the majority of the people who contract it become chronically infected, able to spread the infection to others, and usually have chronic damage to the liver.
Hepatitis D and E are rare.
Since the liver is responsible for the metabolism of alcohol, drugs, and environmental toxins, prolonged exposure to any of these can also cause hepatitis and/or cirrhosis. Combinations of drugs and alcohol have the potential to cause life-threatening acute liver failure. So hold it a bit when you go really wild. Even NS men who are challenged to drink up, have to be careful. Don’t be ashamed to turn alcohol down.
Cirrhosis
Anything that causes severe ongoing injury to the liver can lead to cirrhosis. It is marked by cell death and scar formation and is a progressive disease that creates irreversible damage. Cirrhosis is treated by trying to limit further damage; if it is caused by a virus or another treatable cause of liver injury, treating the cause can stabilize the disease and prevent deterioration in liver function. Cirrhosis has no signs or symptoms in its early stages, but as it progresses, it can cause fluid build-up in the abdomen (called ascites), muscle wasting, bleeding from the intestines, easy bruising, enlargement of the breasts in men (called gynecomastia), and a number of
other problems. Liver function is monitored with such tests as albumin, prothrombin time, bilirubin, and a liver panel. In extreme cases, liver transplantation may be needed.
Signs and Symptoms
Liver disease may not cause any symptoms at first or the symptoms may be vague, like weakness and loss of energy. In acute liver disease, symptoms related to problems handling bilirubin, including jaundice, dark urine, and light stools, along with loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are the most common. Chronic liver disease symptoms may include jaundice, dark urine, abdominal swelling (due to ascites), pruritus (itching), unexplained weight loss or gain, and abdominal pain; these symptoms may not be present until the disease has reached an advanced stage.
Treatment
The most important treatment for liver disease is prevention. Vaccines are available for hepatitis A and B, and many cases of hepatitis can be prevented by avoiding the risk factors that lead to their spread. Although liver inflammation may resolve over time, liver damage may also become permanent. Treatment of liver disease involves protecting and supporting remaining liver function, minimizing further damage and complications, and addressing the underlying cause of the damage. It may range from taking specific medications to surgery to, in severe cases, liver transplantation. Patients who are diagnosed with liver disease will often require long-term monitoring and should talk to their doctors to determine the best treatment options for their condition.
Alcohol is something we can control. When it's within our control, we are on top of it. But when we are within it's control, it's poison. Don't let it ruin your life.
Thank you for reading, we'll get back to you all next time about our kidneys. Take care and have a great week ahead.
Contributor: Rajeswari (Enrolled Nurse with TTSH)
Editor: Jayasutha Yasin
