THE SILENT KILLER IN SIERRA LEONE: LIVER DISEASE

 Causes of Liver Disease ( SILENT KILLER IN SIERRA LEONE) by Sierra Liver Foundation What are the causes of liver disease (alcohol and cirrhosis)? http://www.medicinenet.com/liver_disease/page6.htm The liver can be damaged in a variety of ways. Cells can become inflamed, for example, hepatitis . Bile flow can be obstructed, for example, cholestasis). Cholesterol or triglycerides can accumulate, for example, steatosis ). Blood flow to the liver may be compromised. Liver tissue can be damaged by chemicals and minerals , or infiltrated by abnormal cells, like cancer cells. Alcohol abuse Alcohol abuse is the most common cause of liver disease in North America. Alcohol is directly toxic to liver cells and can cause liver inflammation, referred to as alcoholic hepatitis . In chronic alcohol abuse, fat accumulation occurs in liver cells affecting their ability to function. Cirrhosis Cirrhosis is a late-stage of liver disease. Scarring of the liver and loss o...

What is liver disease? As part of its function, the liver makes bile, a fluid that contains among other substances, water, chemicals, and bile acids (made from stored cholesterol in the liver). Bile is stored in the gallbladder and when food enters the duodenum (the first part of the small intestine), bile is secreted into the duodenum, to aid in the digestion of food. The liver is the only organ in the body that can easily replace damaged cells, but if enough cells are lost, the liver may not be able to meet the needs of the body. The liver can be considered a factory; and among its many functions include the following: production of bile that is required in the digestion of food, in particular fats ; storing of the extra glucose or sugar as glycogen, and then converting it back into glucose when the body needs it for energy; production of blood clotting factors; production of amino acids (the building blocks for making proteins), including those used to help fig...

Liver Disease Facts http://www.medicinenet.com/liver_disease/article.htm   https://ejboima.blogspot.com/2017/01/the-silent-killer-in-sierra-leone-liver_73.html?showComment=1486652355157#c7899032498805892224 The liver plays an important role in many bodily functions from protein production and blood clotting to cholesterol , glucose ( sugar ), and iron metabolism . A variety of illnesses can affect the liver, for example, certain drugs like excessive amounts of acetaminophen , and acetaminophen combination medications like Vicodin , Norco, and statins , cirrhosis , alcohol abuse , hepatitis A , B, C, D, and E, Epstein Barr virus ( infectious mononucleosis ), non-alcoholic fatty liver disease , iron overload ( hemochromatosis ), Symptoms of liver diseases include weakness and fatigue , weight loss , nausea , vomiting , and  yellow discoloration of the skin ( jaundice ). The treatment of a particular liver disease depends on its specific cause ...