Advanced cirrhosis is the late stage of chronic liver disease in which healthy liver tissue is replaced with extensive scar tissue (fibrosis), causing permanent damage and loss of liver function. The scarring blocks blood flow through the liver and disrupts its ability to process nutrients, hormones, drugs, and toxins.
Cirrhosis can result from many chronic liver conditions, including chronic hepatitis B or C, alcoholic liver disease, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), autoimmune hepatitis, or genetic liver disorders. When cirrhosis progresses to an advanced stage, it can lead to serious, life-threatening complications such as liver failure, internal bleeding, and liver cancer.
Cirrhosis affects millions of people worldwide and is a leading cause of liver-related deaths. Advanced stages are often seen in individuals with long-term alcohol misuse, untreated viral hepatitis, or metabolic liver diseases. Because early cirrhosis may not cause symptoms, many patients are diagnosed only when the disease has significantly progressed.
The scarring in advanced cirrhosis is irreversible, but early detection and proper treatment can slow or halt further liver damage and manage complications. In severe cases, a liver transplant may be the only curative option.
Cirrhosis represents the end result of chronic liver injury from a variety of causes:
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Early cirrhosis may cause few or no symptoms, but advanced cirrhosis often leads to multiple complications:
General symptoms:
Complications of advanced cirrhosis:
Diagnosis typically involves a combination of clinical evaluation, lab tests, and imaging studies:
Alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) test – monitors for liver cancer (hepatocellular carcinoma)
While scarring from cirrhosis cannot be reversed, treatment focuses on slowing progression, preventing complications, and managing symptoms.
Lifestyle and general measures:
Medications and management of complications:
Procedures:
Liver transplantation – definitive treatment for liver failure or decompensated cirrhosis
Medically reviewed by:
Dr. Siddiqui is the Chief Medical Officer at TeleMed2U responsible for clinical and technical program development as well as maintaining a thriving telemedicine practice in infectious diseases which includes specialized care of Hepatitis and HIV.
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