Here’s a breakdown of the provided text about fatty liver disease:
What is Fatty Liver (Hepatic Steatosis)?
Its a common liver disease worldwide.
It involves the accumulation of fats inside liver cells.
This accumulation impairs the liver’s function in metabolism and toxin elimination. It can be caused by diet, lifestyle, and chronic diseases like diabetes.
If untreated, it can lead to serious complications.
Key Functions of the Liver:
Metabolizing nutrients.
Purifying harmful substances.
Causes of Liver Damage (general):
Infections.
Genetic factors.
Excessive consumption of substances like alcohol.
Characteristics of Hepatic Steatosis:
It’s often silent (asymptomatic in early stages).
Its incidence is growing, making it a public health challenge.
Types of fatty Liver:
- Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD/EHFNA):
Primarily linked to obesity and metabolic diseases.
Causes include overweight, obesity, high cholesterol and triglycerides, insulin resistance, prediabetes, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension.
Risk factors include consuming processed foods, sugars, and saturated fats.
- Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease:
Caused by excessive alcoholic beverage intake.
Occurs in people with repeated alcohol consumption.
Symptoms and Detection:
Usually asymptomatic in initial stages.
diagnosis often happens incidentally through lab tests or imaging for other reasons. Some patients might experience tiredness or abdominal discomfort, but these are not always present.
Diagnosis involves:
Medical evaluation (interrogation, physical exam).
blood tests.
Imaging studies (like liver ultrasound) to detect fat and assess associated factors.
Derived Complications (if untreated):
Can progress to steatohepatitis (inflammatory condition).
Steatohepatitis can lead to liver fibrosis (scarring).
Fibrosis can progress to cirrhosis (hardening and scarring of the liver, leading to loss of function).
Cirrhosis complications include:
Esophageal varices.
Ascites (fluid buildup in the abdomen).
Alterations in consciousness.
In advanced stages, fatty liver is a risk factor for liver cancer.
Treatment Strategies:
No specific medications to reverse fat accumulation.
The essential pillar is lifestyle change.
Effective measures include:
Controlled weight reduction.
Controlling cholesterol and triglycerides.
Regular physical activity.
A healthy diet (rich in fruits, whole grains; reduced sugar, salt, and ultra-processed foods).
Eliminating alcohol consumption.
Vaccination against Hepatitis A and B, and respiratory infections.
Strict control of associated conditions like obesity or diabetes,ideally with medical supervision.
Prevention: The role of Obesity:
Obesity is a major risk factor for fatty liver and other chronic diseases (like cardiovascular disease).
Body Mass Index (BMI) helps identify excess weight. The text notes that in Colombia, over half of adults are overweight, and one in five is obese. Preventing obesity and fatty liver requires adopting healthy habits, such as reducing processed food and saturated fat consumption.
