There are many kinds of liver diseases which are caused due to different reasons. Liver problems caused by viruses are classified as hepatitis A, hepatitis B, and hepatitis C. Liver diseases caused by drugs or too much alcohol include fatty liver disease and cirrhosis, and liver cancer. Common symptoms of liver disease include nausea, vomiting, right upper quadrant abdominal pain, and jaundice. Liver disease can also cause fatigue, weakness, and weight loss.
The prevalence of the chronic liver disease is increasing in the elderly population and investigating the seniors with abnormal liver function is important as these diseases may easily go undiagnosed. The most common liver problems faced by seniors who are above sixty years of age are liver cirrhosis, and hepatitis C and B. Treatment for liver disease in the seniors can be the same as for younger people but with age-appropriate modifications. Each liver disease will have a specific treatment regimen.
Life after liver transplant for seniors depends on how their body accepts the new liver and if it functions normally. In general, about 75% of older people who undergo liver transplants live for at least five years. Some recipients have known to live a normal life for over thirty years after the operation but it all depends on the patient's overall health condition. However, it is rare to offer liver transplant to someone greater than 70 years old. Physiological changes that occur with age in the liver include a decrease in volume, blood flow, and metabolic capacity. While there are no liver diseases unique to elderly patients, the research has shown that non-alcoholic fatty liver disease continues to rise in the seniors.
Seniors living with liver problems are more likely to become disabled, need hospitalization, and require more caregiving from family members. The need to provide and coordinate care for elderly people living with liver cirrhosis is expected to increase in the coming years. In many countries, the number of older people with liver cirrhosis is growing, driven by an aging population of people living with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.
The first sign of liver damage in seniors is inflammation of the liver which can cause their liver to enlarge. There are many causes for liver inflammation such as excess fat in the liver, too many toxins, or viral infection in the liver that can cause swelling. When the seniors do not take the liver inflammation seriously, the inflammation will start to cause the liver to scar. These scar tissues will replace the healthy liver tissue and thus reduce liver function. This entire process is called fibrosis. At this stage, there is still a chance to save the liver through medication and lifestyle management.
The seniors must undergo proper treatment for fibrosis or else they are at risk of the next stage called cirrhosis, which is severe scarring of the liver. At this point, the liver can no longer heal itself. It can take a long time to develop cirrhosis, sometimes 20 to 30 years. Unfortunately, this is when people start noticing liver disease because the symptoms are more obvious. Cirrhosis can lead to many complications.
