Nursing 101
Cirrhosis Basics
The liver is one of the most important organs in your body and weighs about 3 pounds. * It sits in the upper right side of the abdomen, below the ribs. * The functions of the liver include: * Making bile. * Changing food into energy. * Cleaning alcohol and poisons from your system. * Cirrhosis occurs when the liver is permanently scarred or injured by chronic conditions and diseases. * The scar tissue that forms in cirrhosis harms the structure of the liver, blocking the flow of blood through the organ. * Good nutrition is the key to management of advanced cirrhosis. Treatment for Cirrhosis
The treatment of cirrhosis is aimed at stopping or delaying the progression and reducing complications. In alcoholic cirrhosis, for instance, the person must stop drinking alcohol to halt progression of the disease. If a person has hepatitis, the doctor may administer steroids or antiviral drugs to reduce liver cell injury. * Good nutrition is key to the management of advanced cirrhosis. Diets which include ‘easy to digest’ forms of protein, such as legumes, poultry and fish, are important as is a low-sodium diet in patients with edema or ascites, the build-up of fluid in the legs or abdomen. * General measures recommended in patients with cirrhosis should include vaccination for hepatitis A and B and influenza, as any of these diseases, if acquired, can result in significant sickness and death. Patients should be advised against eating raw seafood and should question their physician when taking any prescription or non-prescription medication (e.g., acetaminophen). * Medications may be given to control the symptoms of cirrhosis, such as itching. Edema and ascites are treated by low-sodium diets and diuretics, which increase urine, to remove excess fluid and prevent edema from recurring. * Diet and drug therapies can help improve the altered mental function that cirrhosis can cause. For instance,
The liver is one of the most important organs in your body and weighs about 3 pounds. * It sits in the upper right side of the abdomen, below the ribs. * The functions of the liver include: * Making bile. * Changing food into energy. * Cleaning alcohol and poisons from your system. * Cirrhosis occurs when the liver is permanently scarred or injured by chronic conditions and diseases. * The scar tissue that forms in cirrhosis harms the structure of the liver, blocking the flow of blood through the organ. * Good nutrition is the key to management of advanced cirrhosis. Treatment for Cirrhosis
The treatment of cirrhosis is aimed at stopping or delaying the progression and reducing complications. In alcoholic cirrhosis, for instance, the person must stop drinking alcohol to halt progression of the disease. If a person has hepatitis, the doctor may administer steroids or antiviral drugs to reduce liver cell injury. * Good nutrition is key to the management of advanced cirrhosis. Diets which include ‘easy to digest’ forms of protein, such as legumes, poultry and fish, are important as is a low-sodium diet in patients with edema or ascites, the build-up of fluid in the legs or abdomen. * General measures recommended in patients with cirrhosis should include vaccination for hepatitis A and B and influenza, as any of these diseases, if acquired, can result in significant sickness and death. Patients should be advised against eating raw seafood and should question their physician when taking any prescription or non-prescription medication (e.g., acetaminophen). * Medications may be given to control the symptoms of cirrhosis, such as itching. Edema and ascites are treated by low-sodium diets and diuretics, which increase urine, to remove excess fluid and prevent edema from recurring. * Diet and drug therapies can help improve the altered mental function that cirrhosis can cause. For instance,