Cirrhosis Overview
Cirrhosis of the liver is an advanced accumulation of scar tissue that crowds out the healthy liver tissue. When the liver consists of too much scar tissue, the liver cannot perform its normal functions to its fullest capacity.
Unfortunately, most symptoms of cirrhosis don’t become evident until after the disease has advanced.
The liver is the only organ in the body that can regenerate itself. Most internal organs develop scar tissue upon initial injury. Even a damaged heart develops scarring, much like injured skin produces a scar upon healing. If 60 percent of all the liver’s cells are killed due to an acute injury, the liver will regenerate healthy replacements in little more than a month if it is not interrupted from healing by another injury.
The liver will stop its regenerative abilities, though, if it suffers repeated, severe injuries to the cells. Liver damage can occur from a variety of causes, including alcoholism and drugs. Medications that can cause liver damage include acetaminophen (brand name Tylenol) and amiodarone(brand names include Cordarone, Pacerone and Nexterone).
Symptoms of Cirrhosis
Cirrhosis often has no signs or symptoms until liver damage is extensive. When signs and symptoms do occur, they may include:
- Extreme tiredness, fatigue
- Bleeding or bruising very easily
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea
- Swelling in your legs, feet or ankles (known as edema)
- Weight loss or suddenly gaining weight
- Itchy skin
- Yellow discoloration in the skin and eyes (jaundice)
- Fluid accumulation in the abdomen
- Brown or orange-colored urine
- Light-colored stools
- Blood in the stool
- Fever
- Spiderlike blood vessels appearing on the skin
- Redness in the palms of the hands
- For women, absent or loss of periods not related to menopause
- For men, loss of sex drive, breast enlargement (gynecomastia) or testicular atrophy
- Confusion, drowsiness and slurred speech
The earliest noticeable symptoms of cirrhosis probably include a swollen leg or ankle that indicates the fluid and salt retention. The abdomen might be affected by the fluid retention, too. When the abdomen is swollen with excess fluid, the medical term is ascites. In severe instances of ascites, the fluid may have to be drained from the abdomen in a medical setting.
If fluid in the abdomen becomes infected, urgent treatment with antibiotics is needed. If extreme cases of excess fluid retention persist, the patient might be in need of a liver transplant.
Causes of Cirrhosis
Oftentimes, a viral liver infection such as hepatitis B or C will promote an abundance of scar tissue in the liver. Patients who are obese or have diabetes might also have a fatty liver that is more susceptible to damage. Alcohol abuse and certain drugs also can cause cirrhosis.
Amiodarone, a drug used to treat an irregular heartbeat caused by ventricular fibrillation and ventricular tachycardia, has been associated with an increased risk of cirrhosis. The medication works by stopping electrical signals within the heart that trigger the abnormal heart rhythm, thereby restoring normal heart rhythm activity.
Amiodarone and Cirrhosis
According to FDA drug information, amiodarone should only be used when other treatments for heart arrhythmias have been ineffective or have not been tolerated by the patient.
“Amiodarone may cause potentially fatal toxicities, including pulmonary toxicity, hepatic [liver] injury, and worsened arrhythmia,” warned the FDA as far back as 2005.
Patients who have taken amiodarone and suffered cirrhosis of the liver may benefit from legal action against the drug maker for injuries, medical bills, lost earnings, pain and suffering, and more.
