NHS staff being vaccinated is an 'ethical duty' says Dr Hilary
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Fatty liver disease comes in two main forms. NAFLD is the term for a range of conditions caused by a build-up of fat in the liver. You can also get alcohol-related liver disease, which is liver damage that is caused by drinking too much alcohol. The NHS explains cirrhosis is scarring of the liver caused by long-term liver damage.
The American liver foundation says that if more than five to 10 percent of the liver’s weight is fat, then it is called a fatty liver.
“Early-stage NAFLD does not usually cause any harm, but it can lead to serious liver damage, including cirrhosis, if it gets worse,” the NHS website states.
Having high levels of fat in your liver is also associated with an increased risk of other health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure and kidney disease.
If detected and managed at an early stage, NAFLD can be stopped from getting worse and the amount of fat in your liver can be reduced.
Most people will only ever develop the first stage, very often without realising it.
In a small number of cases, it can progress and lead to liver damage if not detected and managed.
NAFLD tends to develop in people who are overweight or obese or have diabetes, high cholesterol or high triglycerides.
People are more likely to develop NAFLD as a result of a number of factors. For example, if you are insulin resistant, as people can be when they have polycystic ovary syndrome.
Nonetheless, some people get fatty liver disease without having any pre-existing conditions.
The NHS explains: “Cirrhosis is sometimes called end-stage liver disease because it happens after other stages of damage from conditions that affect the liver.”
If you develop severe cirrhosis, stage four fatty liver disease, and your liver stops working properly, you may need to be put on the waiting list for a liver transplant.
If you develop severe cirrhosis, stage four fatty liver disease, and your liver stops working properly, you may need to be put on the waiting list for a liver transplant.
The NHS says you may not have any symptoms during the early stages of cirrhosis.
Nonetheless, it says your liver becomes more damaged, you may feel very tired and weak, feel sick, lose your appetite, lose weight and muscle mass and get red patches on your palms.
Moreover, the NHS says you may experience “small, spider-like blood vessels on your skin (spider angiomas) above waist level”.
People with a liver condition who develop dark black tarry faeces, or dark urine, should seek “urgent medical attention”, according to the British Liver Trust.
Other serious symptoms include vomiting blood, bruising easily, itching skin and swelling of the lower tummy area.
There is no medication specifically for fatty liver disease, so doctors focus on helping you control factors that contribute to the condition.
Things like losing weight, eating healthily and regular exercise can help. NAFLD is not caused by alcohol, but drinking may make it worse. Therefore, you may need to cut it out of your diet, or reduce your intake.
There’s not currently any medicine that can treat NAFLD, but various medicines can be useful in managing the problems associated with the condition.
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