Patient Education

Early referral and partnership with a Hepatologist can optimize the treatment and outcome for the patient. Common warning signs of liver disease signaling a need for consultation with a Hepatologist include:

• Elevated AST, ALT, Alk Phos
• Elevated bilirubin, jaundice
• Liver mass
• Abnormal liver on imaging studies
• Signs of portal hypertension: splenomegaly, esophageal varices, ascites

Liver disease can result from a variety of acute and chronic conditions, which may include infections, toxins or inherited or auto immune diseases. Medication and lifestyle changes may often reverse or decrease symptoms of liver disease.

• Viral Hepatitis (Hepatitis B and C)
• Liver Cirrhosis (non-alcoholic and alcoholic)
• Cancers of the liver and bile ducts (hepatocellular carcinoma, cholangiocarcinoma), metastasis from colorectal and neuroendocrine tumors
• Genetic conditions, autoimmune hepatitis
• Granulomatous disease of the liver
• NASH (non alcoholic steatohepatitis)
• Fatty liver disease — Affects up to twenty-five percent of the US population. Twenty percent of people diagnosed with fatty liver disease will develop liver failure, requiring the need for liver transplantation. Patients identified to be at risk for fatty liver disease should receive annual ALT blood testing along with their regular primary prevention screening. Risk factors for fatty liver disease include obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol

Learn about these common forms of liver disease in our Health Library:

• Cirrhosis
• Hepatitis A
• Hepatitis B
• Hepatitis C
• Liver cancer
• Liver disease due to alcohol
• Reye Syndrome
• Liver transplantation
• Primary biliary cirrohsis
• Primary sclerosing cholangitis

• Liver Foundation
• Liver Support Group
• ADAM Health Library
• American Liver Foundation
• UNOS (United Network for Organ Sharing)
• National Library of Medicine

• Education brochures from the Liver Foundation
• About the liver
• The liver transplant process