Hepatic failure occurs when the liver is unable to perform its functions properly. This condition occurs in stages, which an expert like Hepatologist in Islamabad is able to identify. While it can occur rapidly in people with no previous history of liver disorder, it is more common to develop slowly over a period of time. Read on to know more about the stages of liver failure, its causes and outlook in the general population.

What are the causes of hepatic failure?

Hepatic failure is a consequence of acute and chronic causes.

Acute causes: of hepatic failure are often attributed to drug overdose, especially in people with no known history of liver disease. In particular, over-the-counter painkillers like acetaminophen can cause acute liver failure if taken in large quantity. Similarly, children may experience liver injury if they take drugs like aspirin after a viral illness. This condition is called Reye’s syndromeand presents with hepatic encephalopathy.

In people with hereditary conditions like Wilson’s disease,accumulation of copper can cause hepatic failure. Pregnancy related liver damage may also occur in the third trimester of pregnancy, if there is fat accumulation in the liver.

Chronic liver disease: is often seen in cases of alcohol-related liver damage. Excessive alcohol, if taken for a long period of time, inflames the liver and leads to liver cirrhosis. Viruses like hepatitis B and C also lead to chronic liver disease, especially if they are not diagnosed for a long time. According to the American Liver Foundation, infection caused by hepatitis C virus is the leading cause of liver cirrhosis, worldwide.

What are the stages of hepatic failure?

Primarily, there are four stages of hepatic failure. Hepatic failure often begins with inflammation, and if not treated, it proceeds to fibrosis. The symptoms are maximum at the stage of liver cirrhosis, when the patient needs constant medical care. When there is irreversible damage to the hepatic tissue, end-stage liver disease (ESLD) ensues.

• Inflammation: the first stage is inflammation, in which there is enlargement of the liver, frequently palpable on the abdominal examination. Inflammatory stage often goes unnoticed by the patient as there is no physical discomfort. If treatment is not begun promptly, the causative factor starts to cause permanent damage to the organ.

• Fibrosis: in this stage, there is scar tissue formation in the liver. If this scarring replaces healthy tissue, the liver is unable to perform its functions properly. During this stage, the chances of healing are still present if treatment begins straightaway.

• Cirrhosis: this is when the scar tissue has replaced the healthy tissue of the liver, causing hardening of the organ. This is when the patient has the most symptoms of the disease and if aggressive treatment is not started, the liver may stop functioning. Although cirrhotic condition is not reversible, the progression of disease may still be halted with treatment at this point.

• End-stage liver disease (ESLD): if cirrhosis worsens, the damage becomes irreversible, and this is called end-stage liver disease. The survival rate of the patient drops significantly in end-stage liver disease or chronic liver failure, unless the patient gets an organ transplant.

What is the outlook of hepatic failure?

As any Hepatologist in Lahore would tell you, the outlook of hepatic disease is dependent on prompt diagnosis and therapy. If treatment commences in the early phase of disease, hepatic failure has a fairly good prognosis, with no lasting damage. Before cirrhosis sets in, complete recovery is an option. This is why expert help should be sought if the aforementioned symptoms are seen. After cirrhosis, however, treatment can only do so much. Even though they will stop further deterioration, therapeutic measures at this point, cannot undo any hepatic damage.