fatty liver it is a medical condition very frequent currently, and although in most the cases has a benign behavior, can occasionally progress a severe liver disease and end in a irreversible damage to named liver cirrhosis.
It is estimated that 20% of the adult population suffers from it. And among them, one in four people also has chronic inflammation, which could lead to cirrhosis or liver cancer.
“It usually occurs in people obese, diabetic, with elevation of cholesterol or of the triglycerides, Y Yeah person ingest alcohol, the risk of develop cirrhosis is higher,” says Dr. internist and hepatologist, from Medical Center.
According to the specialist, the big majority of people with liver greasy, no presents no symptom or only refer sensation of heaviness either pain slight on the part upper abdomen.
The patients that present these symptom, for the general they go to doctor who order one abdominal ultrasound and there appear the first signs that suggest the excessive deposit of fat inside of liver.
“Many people with liver greasy, totally asymptomatic, I know find out about the disease because in a check doctor of routine I know find exams of laboratory with ‘alteration in the evidence of liver,'” says Dr. Holguín
Every patient who present abnormalities on ultrasound of the liver or with testing of altered laboratory should be examined by the doctor in order to establish with certainty whether these alterations are due to a state of fatty liver or if correspond to other diseases.
Unfortunately other diseases of the liver can be confused with fatty liver and therefore the doctor should realize laboratory exams additional and in Some cases a liver biopsy to reach a definitive diagnosis.
The prevalence of the disease has been growing at the rate of obesity and unhealthy habits. The impact of a disease that develops over many years and is estimated to have started perhaps 20 years ago, with changes in eating habits and a sedentary lifestyle.
According to doctor Holguín, the liver fatty is then a illness silent, where the damage of liver is produced for the fat that it accumulates slow and progressively within of liver. Only in stages very advanced of Hepatic injury the patients have yellow eyes or skin (jaundice) and swelling of the legs or of the abdomen.
In this final stage of Hepatic injury, many sick require a liver transplant”, asserts the hepatologist, from the Medical Center.
“In general – indicates the hepatologist – it is recommended to modify and correct the conditions or lifestyle that are associated with this disease: Obesity, diabetes, elevated cholesterol or triglycerides and alcohol consumption.”
Yes the disease is detected in the early stages of liver damage and if the patient accepts the recommendations of exercise, changes in your style of life, modify your habits of food, suspends the excess of alcohol, and maintains a correct driving of your diabetes, the disease is reversible and the progression of the disease is prevented. damage towards cirrhosis.
According to doctor Holguín, it is necessary to reduce the contribution of fat to the liver, for this it is necessary to initiate an adequate treatment for the control of diabetes as well as the progressive and programmed reduction of weight in the obese.
“A low-carbohydrate, low-fat diet and supervised exercise are essential to achieve benefit in these patients”, adds Dr. Holguín.
Achieving a weight loss of at least 10% has proven to be advantageous. However, very rapid weight loss (> 1.5 kg per week) is not advisable.
Those patients with elevation of cholesterol or of the triglycerides, and that despite of a control strict from his food and a good physical exercise, continue with high levels of these fats in your blood can be treated with medicines to decrease the amount of fat that reaches the liver.