Ads
related to: why does cirrhosis cause ascites
Search results
Results From The WOW.Com Content Network
In the developed world, the most common cause is liver cirrhosis. [4] Other causes include cancer, heart failure, tuberculosis, pancreatitis, and blockage of the hepatic vein. [4] In cirrhosis, the underlying mechanism involves high blood pressure in the portal system and dysfunction of blood vessels. [4]
The cause of cirrhosis can vary; alcohol and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease are main causes in western and industrialized countries, whereas viral hepatitis is the predominant cause in low and middle-income countries. [156] Cirrhosis is more common in men than in women. [158]
Pleural fluid causes symptoms far more easily than ascitic fluid, due to the lower volume of the pleural cavity as compared to the abdominal cavity. The main symptoms are usually related to the symptoms of liver cirrhosis and ascites. [4] Less often, it may be the only manifestation of chronic liver disease.
The serum-ascites albumin gradient or gap (SAAG) is a calculation used in medicine to help determine the cause of ascites. [1] The SAAG may be a better discriminant than the older method of classifying ascites fluid as a transudate versus exudate. [2] The formula is as follows: SAAG = (serum albumin) − (albumin level of ascitic fluid).
The causes for portal hypertension are classified as originating in the portal venous system before it reaches the liver (prehepatic causes), within the liver (intrahepatic) or between the liver and the heart (post-hepatic). The most common cause is cirrhosis (chronic liver failure). Other causes include: [1] [10] [11] Prehepatic causes
The treatment of chronic liver disease depends on the cause. Specific conditions may be treated with medications including corticosteroids , interferon , antivirals , bile acids or other drugs. Supportive therapy for complications of cirrhosis include diuretics , albumin , vitamin K , blood products , antibiotics and nutritional therapy.