Patient's question:
Uncle is only in his early fifties, but he has already contracted a liver cirrhosis. It is said that sometimes he experiences palpitations and feels like he is suffering from heart failure. Ultrasound revealed that his liver and spleen are enlarged. Oh, we don't know how to treat it properly. The doctor said that if it gets serious, he might need to have an artificial heart implanted. We're not sure if he's just scaring us.Doctor's answer:
Cardiac cirrhosis is caused by recurrent episodes of chronic congestive heart failure. Blood clots and aspiration lead to fibrosis of the liver's reticular fibrous tissue, primarily presenting as stellate fibrosis in the central hepatic lobules. The fibrous tissue separates the hepatic lobules, forming irregular cell clusters known as pseudolobules. Treatment primarily focuses on correcting or reducing heart failure, utilizing diuretics, cardiac glycosides, and medications to decrease cardiac afterload. However, some symptoms in these patients originate from the liver, such as refractory hypoglycemia and altered consciousness, the latter of which is also related to increased cardiac output. The daily management of cirrhosis patients mainly involves medication. Patients can take a variety of oral medications, often in combination with multiple vitamins.