Treatment of Cirrhosis
At present there is no cure for liver cirrhosis established, although you should always try to eliminate the cause. Therefore, emphasis must be to try and alleviate the complications of the disease.
It has the following treatment options:
- Drugs that increase urine production (diuretics) to treat fluid retention in the legs (edema) or abdomen (ascites)
- Vitamin and mineral supplements
- Calorie supplements (usually sweetened drinks) to maintain good nutrition
Laxatives (usually a base of lactulose syrup), to prevent constipation and reduce the risk of toxic products generated in the intestine from entering the body and reach the brain, after avoiding passing through the liver. This is the mechanism of hepatic encephalopathy, characterized by drowsiness, confusion and finally coma.
Some patients who have bleeding by rupture of varices in the lower esophagus can continue treatment with a drug called propranolol, which reduces the pressure within the veins and thus the chance of bleeding again.
Finally, you might consider the indication for liver transplantation in patients with cirrhosis of the terminal. The treatment itself can be curative, but can only be offered to a minority of patients who meet very specific criteria.
credit to: Dr. José María Ladero Quesada, Dr. Carl J. Brandt, Dr. Ove Schaffalitzky de Muckadell, Dr. Alan Ogilvie
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