Health encyclopaedia

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Causes of Cirrhosis

Alcohol abuse is the most common cause of cirrhosis and many people associate the disease with alcoholism. Alcoholic cirrhosis will only develop after many years of heavy drinking.

Hepatitis C infection can cause damage to the liver that may develop into cirrhosis over a period of time. Other forms of the infection, hepatitis B and D can also have the same effect.

 There are a number of other conditions and inherited diseases that prevent healthy liver function, which may in turn lead to cirrhosis. Diabetes can lead to liver damage for example, as can the rare inherited disorder Wilson’s Disease.

Any condition that results in the bile ducts becoming blocked, such as cancer of the bile ducts and cancer of the pancreas , and the use of certain drugs or exposure to toxins can also cause cirrhosis. Primary Biliary Cirrhosis (PBC) is a slow chronic liver disease which may gradually cause destruction of the bile ducts in the liver. After many years scar tissue may form and in a few people this can lead to cirrhosis

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