Liver Disease Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 750 words

Liver Disease - Essay Example It is strategically placed between the gut and the rest of the body and hence acts as a filter and does not allow bacteria to enter our blood stream (Reichen). The liver produces and secretes a fluid called bile that enters the intestine. This helps in digestion and absorption. Bile is clear yellow to golden-brown and contains water, electrolytes (salts), cholesterol, bile salts (detergents), phospholipids, and proteins (Everson & Weinberg). Liver can be affected by various types of diseases – some of which can be since birth or some may acquire it during the course of life. The most common liver diseases are jaundice and hepatitis A and C. When the bilrubin count in the body goes beyond the specified normal limit, a person is said to be affected with jaundice (Beckingham & Ryder). When a person has jaundice, bilrubin becomes visible within the sclera, skin, and mucous membranes. Jaundice can be of different types depending upon the intensity to which the liver is affected. Accordingly, it is categorized as prehepatic, hepatic, or posthepatic. In prehepatic jaundice, bilrubin is produced faster than the liver is capable of handling it. Unconjugated bilrubin is insoluble and cannot be excreted through the urine. This is normally found when patients are anemic. Posthepatic jaundice is also known as obstructive jaundice, in which the bilrubin is conjugated and soluble. This is excreted in the urine due to which the urine is dark in color. At the same time, the stool is pale in color because the bilrubin is unable to enter the gut region. In hepatic jaundice, both conjugated and unconjugated bilrubin concentration rises, due to which the urine and stool remain or normal color. Nevertheless, the color of stool and urine should not be the determinants of the hepatic condition of the liver, as these could be affected due to other reasons. When the alanine transaminase activity