Although scarring from liver disease causes permanent damage, it's still possible to live a long life. Depending on the underlying cause, it's possible to slow or stop cirrhosis from worsening. Many of the causes and complications that lead to cirrhosis are treatable or manageable.
People with cirrhosis of the liver have a life expectancy of between two and 12 years. If you have early-stage cirrhosis, treatment and lifestyle changes can help you live longer.
People with cirrhosis in Class A have the best prognosis, with a life expectancy of 15 to 20 years. People with cirrhosis in Class B are still healthy, with a life expectancy of 6 to 10 years. As a result, these people have plenty of time to seek sophisticated therapy alternatives such as a liver transplant.
Cirrhosis cannot usually be cured, but there are ways to manage the symptoms and any complications, and stop the condition getting worse.
Cirrhosis is scarring of the liver caused by continuous, long-term liver damage. Scar tissue replaces healthy tissue in the liver and prevents the liver from working properly. The damage caused by cirrhosis can't be reversed and can eventually become so extensive that your liver stops functioning.
Stage 4: Liver Failure
At this stage, the liver cannot be repaired on its own or with treatments; a liver transplant is the only option for recovery.
It takes upwards of ten years for alcohol-related liver disease to progress from fatty liver through fibrosis to cirrhosis to acute on chronic liver failure. This process is silent and symptom free and can easily be missed in primary care, usually presenting with advanced cirrhosis.
When a patient's liver disease reaches cirrhosis, a stage when the liver damage can no longer be reversed, it becomes a terminal diagnosis. Unlike most terminal illnesses, a cure may be available for some patients through a liver transplant.
Treating cirrhosis
There's no cure for cirrhosis at the moment. However, there are ways to manage the symptoms and any complications and slow its progression. Treating the problem that led to cirrhosis (for example, using anti-viral medicines to treat hepatitis C) can stop cirrhosis getting worse.
According to some reports, cirrhosis does not develop below a lifetime alcohol consumption of 100 kg of undiluted alcohol[8]. This amount corresponds to an average daily intake of 30 grams of undiluted alcohol for 10 years.
There is currently no specific cure for cirrhosis of the liver. Your liver can keep working if you have cirrhosis, but the disease can also lead to liver failure and death in some cases. However, several approaches can help manage symptoms and slow the disease's progression.
Avoidance of Alcohol for Patients with Cirrhosis Cirrhosis
Patients with cirrhosis, regardless of etiology, should not drink any alcohol at all.
Although scarring from liver disease causes permanent damage, it's still possible to live a long life. Depending on the underlying cause, it's possible to slow or stop cirrhosis from worsening. Many of the causes and complications that lead to cirrhosis are treatable or manageable.
Although the overall leading cause of death in patients with cirrhosis is liver-related, the most common causes of mortality in patients with NAFLD cirrhosis is non-hepatic malignancy, cerebrovascular disease, and diabetes.
Compensated cirrhosis: People with compensated cirrhosis do not show symptoms, while life expectancy is around 9–12 years. A person can remain asymptomatic for years, although 5–7% of those with the condition will develop symptoms every year.
Poorly absorbable oral antibiotics, statins, and albumin have been proposed as potential disease-modifying agents for cirrhosis (DMAC), since clinical studies have shown their capacity to prolong survival.
The main treatment for primary biliary cirrhosis is to slow liver damage with the drug ursodiol (Actigall, Urso). Ursodiol can cause side effects like diarrhea, constipation, dizziness, and back pain. Know more about the treatment options for primary biliary cirrhosis.
Beverages: You cannot drink alcohol if you have liver cirrhosis, but you'll have plenty of other options. Water is the most hydrating choice, but if you are on a low-sodium diet, you'll want to check the labels on bottled water as some contain sodium. Milk and juice should only be consumed if pasteurized.
The structure of the scar tissue has created a risk of rupture within the liver. That can cause internal bleeding and become immediately life-threatening. With respect to stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver life expectancy, roughly 43% of patients survive past 1 year.
“Apart from alcohol consumption, several contributory factors, including diet, lifestyle, mental health, viral infection and gender, influence the risk of developing cirrhosis. There is also evidence that genes influence the development and progression of this disease,” Professor Day said.
When symptoms do occur, they may first include fatigue; weakness and weight loss; nausea; bruising or bleeding easily; swelling in your legs, feet or ankles; itchy skin; redness on the palms of your hands; and spider-like blood vessels on your skin.
You should notice your general health and well-being improving when your liver starts to heal. For example, you may notice clearer thinking, more energy, improved appetite, and less pain.
As liver function worsens, symptoms may include: Fluid buildup in the legs (edema) and in the abdomen (ascites) Yellow color in the skin, mucous membranes, or eyes (jaundice) Redness on the palms of the hands.