Liver Disease

Overview

Liver disease consists of conditions such as cirrhosis, portal hypertension, liver infections such as hepatitis and liver abscess, alcoholic and non-alcoholic liver disease, inherited liver diseases such as Wilson's disease and hemochromatosis. The common presenting symptoms for liver disease are jaundice, spider naevi, clubbing, flapping tremor, palmar erythema, edema, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, gross ascites, and gynecomastia in the males. Investigations of liver disease play an important role in the management of the disease by identifying the etiology and presence of liver disease and knowing the disease severity. The liver function test gives a lot of information about the liver by measuring the serum bilirubin, AST, ALT, GGT, and albumin level. Coagulation profile should also be done because the liver produces most of the clotting factors. Any severe damages to the liver may impair the production of clotting factors. The most important complication to look out for in a liver disease patient is hepatic encephalopathy that can ultimately lead to death.