Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease - ailmentwhich is accompanied by accumulation of lipid droplets in hepatocytes. Such a process affects the functioning of the body and can lead to dangerous complications. Unfortunately, the clinical picture is often unclear, and therefore the disease is diagnosed, as a rule, already in the final stages of development.
Since pathology is quite common,Many people ask questions about what non-alcoholic hepatosis in the liver is. Symptoms and treatment, causes and complications are important points to consider.
What is a disease? Brief description and etiology
NAFLD, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease -a very common pathology, which is characterized by the accumulation of lipids in liver cells (hepatocytes). Since the fat drops are deposited inside the cells and in the intercellular space, there are disturbances in the functioning of the organ. If untreated, the disease leads to dangerous complications, increasing the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases, cirrhosis or the formation of a malignant tumor in the liver.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease - a problemmodernity. According to studies, the prevalence of the disease is about 25% (in some countries, up to 50%). True, statistics can hardly be called accurate, because it is rarely possible to diagnose an ailment on time. By the way, men, women and even children are inclined to him. Mostly suffer from the disease in developed countries, which is associated with office, fixed lifestyle, constant stress and unhealthy diet.
The main causes of fatty disease
The question of why and how to developnon-alcoholic fatty liver disease is still being studied in many research centers. But over the past few years, scientists have been able to identify several risk factors:
- Overweight (most patients with this diagnosis suffer from obesity).
- On the other hand, fatty hepatosis can also develop against the background of abrupt weight loss, because this phenomenon is accompanied by a change in the body's level of fats and fatty acids.
- Risk factors include diabetes, especially the second type.
- Increased risk of developing the disease in people with chronic hypertension.
- NAFLD may appear on the background of increased levels of triglycerides and cholesterol in the blood.
- Potentially dangerous is the use of certain drugs, in particular, antibiotics and hormonal drugs (birth control pills, glucocorticosteroids).
- Risk factors include improper diet, especially if the diet contains foods rich in easily digestible carbohydrates and animal fats.
- The disease develops on the background of diseases of the digestive tract, including dysbacteriosis, ulcerative lesions of the machine, pancreatitis, a violation of the absorption of nutrients by the walls of the intestine.
- Other risk factors include gout, pulmonarydiseases, psoriasis, lipodystrophy, cancer, heart problems, porphyria, severe inflammation, accumulation of a large number of free radicals, connective tissue pathology.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: classification and developmental stages
There are several ways to qualifydisease. But more often doctors pay attention to the location of the process. Depending on the place of accumulation of lipid droplets, focal disseminated, expressed disseminated, diffuse and zonal forms of hepatosis are isolated.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease develops in four stages:
- Obesity of the liver, which is observedaccumulation of a large number of lipid droplets in the hepatocytes and the extracellular space. It should be said that in many patients this phenomenon does not lead to serious damage to the liver, but in the presence of negatively influencing factors, the illness can proceed to the next stage of development.
- Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis, in which the accumulation of fat is accompanied by the appearance of an inflammatory process.
- Fibrosis is the result of longinflammatory process. Functional liver cells are gradually replaced by connective tissue elements. Scars are formed that affect the functioning of the body.
- Cirrhosis is the final stage of fibrosis, in which most normal liver tissue is replaced by scars. The structure and work of the organ is disturbed, which often leads to liver failure.
What symptoms are accompanied by ailment?
Many people face the diagnosis"Nonalcoholic hepatosis of the liver." Symptoms and treatment are questions that interest patients the most. As already mentioned, the clinical picture of the disease is blurred. Often, hepatic tissue obesity is not accompanied by severe disorders, which greatly complicates timely diagnosis, because patients simply do not seek help.
What are the signs of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease? The symptoms of the disease are as follows:
- Due to abnormal liver function, patients often complain of digestive disorders, in particular, nausea, heaviness in the abdomen that occurs after eating, problems with the stool.
- Symptoms include fatigue, recurrent headaches, severe weakness.
- At later stages of development, an increase in the size of the liver and spleen is observed. Patients complain of heaviness and tenderness in the right hypochondrium.
- In about 40% of patients, hyperpigmentation of the skin on the neck and armpits can be observed.
- Perhaps the appearance of spider veins (grid extended capillaries) on the palms.
- The inflammatory process is often accompanied by yellowness of the skin and sclera of the eyes.
Fatty Disease in Children
Unfortunately, non-alcoholic fatty liver diseaseoften diagnosed in children and adolescents. Moreover, over the past few days the number of such cases has increased significantly, which is associated with an increase in obesity among juvenile patients.
Proper diagnosis is important here.For this purpose, during planned school medical examinations, doctors measure the parameters of the child's body, measure blood pressure, check the level of triglycerides and lipoproteins. These procedures make it possible to diagnose the disease on time. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in children may not require any specific treatment (especially if it is detected at an early stage). Correction of the diet and proper physical activity contribute to the normalization of the liver.
Diagnostic measures: laboratory tests
If this pathology is suspected, laboratory tests of the patient's blood samples are carried out. When studying the results of analyzes, you should pay attention to the following indicators:
- Patients have increased liver enzymes. Increase moderate, about 3 - 5 times.
- There is a violation of the metabolism of carbohydrates - patients suffer from impaired glucose tolerance, which symptoms correspond to the second type of diabetes.
- Another symptom is dyslipidemia, which is characterized by increased levels of cholesterol and triglycerides in the blood.
- Disruption of protein metabolism and an increase in the level of bilirubin is observed only in advanced cases.
Instrumental examination of the patient
Further tests are conducted, inin particular, ultrasound examination of the liver and abdominal organs. The specialist during the procedure may notice areas of lipid deposition, as well as increased echogenicity. By the way, ultrasound is more suitable for the diagnosis of diffuse fatty disease.
Дополнительно проводиться магнитно-резонансная и CT scan. These procedures allow you to make a complete picture of the patient's condition and the degree of progression of the disease. By the way, using tomography is much easier to diagnose local foci of liver obesity.
Sometimes a liver biopsy is necessary.Laboratory examination of tissue images helps to establish whether there is an inflammatory process, whether fibrosis is strongly spreading, and what are the projections for patients. Unfortunately, this procedure is quite complicated and has a number of complications, so it is carried out only in extreme cases.
Drug treatment of non-alcoholic hepatosis
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease despiteslow flow is dangerous, and therefore requires immediate treatment. Of course, the treatment regimen is made up individually, as it depends on many factors.
As a rule, patients are prescribed in the first place.administration of hepatoprotectors and antioxidants, in particular, preparations containing betaine, tocopherol acetate, silibinin. These tools protect the liver cells from damage and slow down the development of the disease. If the patient has insulin resistance, drugs are used that increase the sensitivity of the receptors to insulin. In particular, a positive effect is observed when using thiazolidinediones and biguanides. If there are serious disorders of lipid metabolism, lipid-lowering medications are used.
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease: recommendations for patients
Since in most cases the diseaseis associated with obesity and metabolic disorders, then patients are advised to follow the correct diet and lose weight. You can not allow sudden weight loss - everything must be done gradually.
As for the diet, first you need to startslowly reduce the daily energy value of products. Fats in the daily diet should not exceed 30%. It is necessary to exclude products that increase the level of cholesterol, to abandon fried foods and alcohol. In the day menu, you need to include foods with plenty of fiber, vitamin E and polyunsaturated fatty acids.
Physical activity is also part of therapy.You need to start with a feasible exercise (at least walking) for 30 - 40 minutes 3 - 4 times a week, gradually increasing the intensity and duration of classes.
Is it possible to treat folk remedies?
Traditional medicine offers a lot of moneyable to improve the functioning of the liver and free the body from toxins. For example, it is recommended to mix the dried leaves of the plantain with honey in a ratio of 3: 1. Take a large spoon between meals 2 to 4 times a day. It is not recommended to drink water and, of course, eat within 40 minutes after taking the medicine.
A positive effect on the condition of the liver decoctionfrom oat grains. Since it is important to restore the patient's microflora, it is recommended to eat as much fermented milk products as possible. It should be understood that self-medication for hepatosis of the liver can be dangerous. Any means can be used only with the permission of the attending physician.
