Medicine / Nursing Research On Cirrhosis Of The Liver (Essay Sample)

Cirrhosis of the Liver
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Cirrhosis of the Liver
Liver cirrhosis is a disease that results in the destruction of fibrosis and hepatic tissues. When chemical damages, alcohol and drug consumption overwhelm the body, they bring about long-term infections. Starr and Raines (2011) mention that the leading causes of liver cirrhosis are alcohol abuse and viral hepatitis. Cirrhosis has several pathologic consequences, some of which have differing degrees of the functional loss of the hepatocytes. Two principal factors define liver cirrhosis: hepatic dysfunction and portal hypertension. Portal hypertension leads to restricted blood flow through the liver and hence the hepatic veins and the inferior venacava (Baltazar, 2017). When the blood volumes going through the liver are low, it makes it impossible to detoxify harmful chemicals. The toxins become more concentrated in the blood leading to hepatic encephalopathy (Starr & Raines, 2011). Liver cirrhosis is known for destroying the organ's cells. Moreover, cirrhosis alters the standard structure of the liver, thereby hampering the regular flow of blood and lymph, thus creating hepatic insufficiency and hypertension to the body's portal vein.
Screening and prevention process of liver cirrhosis is essential to reduce the cases and incidences of new diagnoses. Starr and Raines (2011) identified that alcohol users should be screened for its abuse. Similarly, pregnant women ought to undergo hepatitis screening to enable them to determine whether their livers are in good shape. As Starr and Raines (2011) explain, liver cirrhosis is one of the killer diseases in the United States. It ranks 12th leading to a mortality rate of 9.7 deaths amongst every 100000 persons (Starr & Raines, 2011). That implies that the prevention of the disease would play a critical part in ensuring that the mortality rates of the disease go low. Alternatively, identifying appropriate remedies to help minimize the progression of cirrhosis may play influential roles in enabling the society to develop permanent solutions for reducing incidences of the disease.
Liver cirrhosis is an irreversible condition. The principal objective of the treatment of the disease aims at slowing the progression of the damage to the liver. Similarly, treatment helps to reduce the further deterioration of the liver. The article by Baltazar (2017) suggests that there is no cure to aid in the repair of a damaged liver. Nonetheless, several studies on the effectiveness of antifibriotic drugs are being exploited to help develop better options for treating the condition. Alternatively, Starr and Raines (2011), suggests that patients who have hepatic encephalopathy should have paracentesis during the hospitalization process once the disease is diagnosed. Similarly, salt restrictions and diuretics are touted to offer better methods of managing individuals who have been diagnosed of ascites.
Patient education on the management of li...