Treatment for cirrhosis depends on the cause of the disease and whether complications are present. The goals of treatment are to slow the progression of scar tissue in the liver and prevent or treat the complications of the disease. Here are some treatment options for cirrhosis of the liver:
- Lifestyle changes: Avoiding alcohol, quitting smoking, losing weight if overweight or obese, and doing regular exercise to reduce muscle loss can help reduce the chances of further problems and complications[1].
- Medications: The medicine you need will depend on what caused the damage to your liver. For example, if cirrhosis is from long-term viral hepatitis, you may be prescribed antiviral medicine. You may be offered medicines to ease the symptoms of cirrhosis, such as diuretics, which are used in combination with a low-salt diet to reduce the amount of fluid in your body, which helps with swelling (oedema), and prescription creams to ease skin itching[1][2].
- Treating the complications of cirrhosis: Treatments for the complications of cirrhosis include portal hypertension, which is treated with beta-blockers, and hepatic encephalopathy, which is treated by cleansing the bowel with lactulose, a laxative given orally or in enemas[3].
- Liver transplant: If cirrhosis progresses and your liver is severely damaged, a liver transplant may be the only treatment option. This is a major operation that involves removing your damaged liver and replacing it with a healthy liver from a donor[1][4].
In summary, treatment for cirrhosis depends on the cause of the disease and whether complications are present. Lifestyle changes, medications, treating the complications of cirrhosis, and liver transplant are some of the treatment options available.
Citations:
[1] https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/cirrhosis/treatment/
[2] https://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/understanding-cirrhosis-treatment
[3] https://surgery.ucsf.edu/conditions–procedures/end-stage-liver-disease-(esld).aspx
[4] https://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cirrhosis/diagnosis-treatment/drc-20351492
By Perplexity at https://www.perplexity.ai/search/90dce8a9-e6e8-42df-a62e-a2cd87aa24d2