Fatty liver is the accumulation of fat in the liver cells. The presence of fat in the liver may be associated with chronic inflammation. Gradually it can cause scarring and fibrosis of the liver with liver cirrhosis developing in a small percentage of the patients. The underlying cause of the disease is unknown, but it is already known be associated with the following conditions:
- Obesity
- Diabetes
- High triglycerides
- Heavy alcohol consumption
- Some medicines
Symptoms and Diagnosis
Most patients have no symptoms. Diagnosis is usually done with liver enzyme tests and upper abdominal ultrasound.
What is steatohepatitis?
It is the inflammation of liver cells which is associated with fat accumulation. It is often called non-alcoholic steatohepatitis or NASH.
Treatment
In most cases, treatment is guided towards changes in our lifestyle
- Weight loss in cases of obesity
- Triglyceride and sugar control
- Avoiding alcohol consumption
- Probably taking antioxidants such as vitamin E and vitamin C
