Private MD News

Untreated liver disease may lead to major complications

Category: Liver Diseases

Individuals who have any symptom of liver disease may want to talk to their doctor about liver panel testing. Experts say that when the condition is left untreated, it can progress and cause very serious complications.

For example, the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel recently reported that untreated liver disease may progress to a condition known as hepatic encephalopathy. This results from the liver failing to efficiently clear the blood of toxins. As potentially harmful particles continue to build up, serious complications may arise.

For example, the news source reports that many people with hepatic encephalopathy develop cognitive impairments that make them forgetful. When this is added on top of the standard symptoms of liver disease, which often include high cholesterol and other cardiovascular problems, individuals may experience very low quality of life.

About 101,000 individuals have been diagnosed with chronic liver disease or cirrhosis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If these people do not seek medical care for their condition, they are likely to experience significant complications.