Hepatic jaundice takes place when the liver tissue is scarred, has been damaged, or becomes dysfunctional. This makes the liver less effective at filtering bilirubin from the blood. Bilirubin can then build up in the blood to dangerously high levels. This condition can be caused by a variety of different health issues or lifestyle choices and requires immediate supportive care in order to manage the progression of the condition.
The common symptoms of hepatic jaundice are:
The most common causes of hepatic jaundice are:
The common risk factors for this condition are:
Diagnosis of this condition is made through the use of a variety of tests. Your doctor will likely order a urinalysis and blood tests like a CBC to check on the bilirubin levels in your blood and to look for substances that are not being filtered out of your system correctly by the liver.
You might also need to have imaging tests done like MRI or ultrasound to check the health of your liver and look for growths and tumours on the liver. An endoscopy can also be done to collect a small biopsy of tissue from the liver for examination. A biopsy is most commonly done when checking for cancer of the liver.
The treatment of this kind of jaundice requires figuring out the root cause. The condition that is causing jaundice will then need to be treated in order to provide relief for the jaundice itself. In the case of those who have cirrhosis from drinking or drug use, getting clean will be a big factor in treating the cirrhosis associated with substance abuse.
Treatment of liver cirrhosis usually involves the use of beta blockers to help with blood circulation, and changes to diet might be needed to help the liver function more effectively. IV antibiotics might be given to those with liver infections. If a person’s cirrhosis has been caused by a virus, antivirals might be prescribed to help shorten the duration of the illness.
Liver cirrhosis typically cannot be healed entirely, but patients can be given digestive aids that they can take on a daily basis to help with digestion. They might also be given medications that lower the bile in the system and help the liver filter bilirubin more effectively. In severe cases, a liver transplant might be a patient’s best or only option.
Prevention of this condition might not always be possible. However, for those who drink too much alcohol or use drugs on a regular basis, avoiding these substances can be the best way to prevent hepatic jaundice. There are also hepatitis vaccinations that can be given to help prevent illness if there is a chance that you could be exposed to viral hepatitis. Treatment of underlying conditions that can impact liver health is also a key preventative that is necessary to keep hepatic jaundice at bay.