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Triggers of Liver Cirrhosis

Dr. Soloman Shah MD

A member of the American College of Physicians, Soloman Shah, MD, completed medical degree at Eastern Virginia Medical School. Dr. Soloman Shah treats patients with liver disorders, such as cirrhosis, at Gastrointestinal Medicine Associates P.C.

Cirrhosis occurs when the liver loses its ability to detoxify and purify the blood due to permanent scarring. This irreversible scarring results from a number of factors, including the following.

- Alcohol abuse - Excessive consumption of alcohol includes three different stages. The first stage leads to the development of fatty liver. When heavy drinking stops, the fatty liver disappears. The second stage involves the development of alcoholic hepatitis, which occurs when people who continue to drink excessively. The last stage brings cirrhosis, the most serious damage.

- Chronic viral hepatitis - An inflamed liver caused by hepatitis B, C, and D, and left untreated for a long period of time can develop into cirrhosis. The most common type of hepatitis, hepatitis C, is a blood-borne infection usually contracted from shared needles.

- Fat buildup - Known as non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), this severe liver condition usually develops among people who have diabetes, with high cholesterol levels and high blood pressure. Obesity and no to low physical activity can also lead to NASH.