BIOL 2P98 Lecture Notes - Lecture 24: Cirrhosis, Bilirubin, Liver Biopsy
28 Feb 2016
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Document Summary
The liver is an essential and important organ of the human body. It executes several critical functions that aid in our metabolism, digestion and detoxification. Cirrhosis is a complication of the liver, an advanced form of liver disease characterized by the abnormal structure and function of the liver. Cirrhosis involves the chronic degeneration of liver cells as well as irreversible scarring of the liver tissue. It changes the structure of the liver and the blood vessels that nourish it. The disease reduces the livers ability to manufacture proteins and process hormones and nutrients. It is a greek word that translates to yellowish condition". Patients with cirrhosis may display a few to no symptoms of liver disease. Some of these indications may be nonspecific suggesting the liver is not the initial cause. However symptoms are more prominent and visible when liver function has deteriorated. Cirrhosis is the third leading cause of death of adults between the ages of 45 and 65.
