Cholestatic Liver Diseases Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

Cholestasis is a condition that affects the liver. It happens when your liver's bile flow is slowed or stopped. Bile is a digestive fluid produced by your liver that aids in the breakdown of lipids. An accumulation of bilirubin can occur when bile flow is disrupted. Bilirubin is a pigment that your liver produces and excretes through your bile.

Intrahepatic cholestasis and extrahepatic cholestasis are the two kinds of cholestasis. The liver is the source of intrahepatic cholestasis. It can be brought on by:

  • disease\sinfection
  • Usage of drugs
  • anomalies in the genetic code
  • Effects of hormones on biliary flow
  • This condition can also be made worse by pregnancy.

A physical obstruction to the bile ducts causes extrahepatic cholestasis. Gallstones, cysts, and tumors can all cause bile flow to be restricted. Dr. Anand Khakhar is the best liver specialist in India. If facing any difficulty contact immediately for assistance.

Symptoms of Cholestasis

Whether the illness begins inside or outside of your liver, the symptoms will be the same.

Symptoms to look out for include:

  • Itching
  • Skin or eyes that are yellow (jaundice)
  • Pee that is dark in color
  • Poop that is light in hue
  • Poop with a very foul odor
Cholestatic Liver Diseases Symptoms, Causes, Treatment

You might also want to consider:

  • Stomach ache
  • Skin tone is dingy
  • No desire to eat
  • I'm puking
  • Fever
  • Tiredness
  • Jaundice may appear 3 to 6 weeks after a baby is born if he or she has cholestasis.

If you don't address your cholestasis, you can have difficulties absorbing nutrients. You can be deficient in calcium and vitamin D. This can cause your bones to deteriorate. If you are deficient in vitamin K, you may bleed more. It is possible that you simply will reduce weight. Children with it may struggle to gain weight. If you find yourself having any of these symptoms, get yourself tested today with Dr. Anand Khakhar.

Causes of cholestasis

Cholestasis can be caused by a variety of factors.

A variety of things can cause bile obstruction.

Medications

When it comes to metabolizing drugs, your liver plays a crucial role. Some drugs are more difficult to process by your liver than others, and they may be toxic to your liver. The following drugs are among them:

  • Amoxicillin (Amoxil, Moxatag) and minocycline (Minocin) are antibiotics that can be used as anabolic steroids.
  • Ibuprofen and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) (Advil, Motrin IB)
  • contraceptive pills
  • certain antiepileptic medications
  • certain antifungal medications
  • antipsychotic medications
  • antimicrobial medications

Always take prescriptions as instructed, and never discontinue taking medications given by your doctor without first consulting with them.

Diseases

Cholestasis is caused by scarring or inflammation of the bile ducts, which can be caused by a variety of disorders. The following are some of the conditions:

  • Virus diseases such as HIV, hepatitis, CMV, and Epstein-Barr virus
  • infections caused by bacteria
  • autoimmune disorders that induce your immune system to target and damage your bile ducts, such as primary biliary cirrhosis
  • Sickle cell disease is an example of a hereditary condition.
  • liver and pancreatic cancers, as well as lymphomas, are examples of cancers.

Pregnancy Cholestasis

When you're pregnant, your body produces extra estrogen. Your bile flow may be slowed or stopped as a result of this. Pregnancy can cause intrahepatic cholestasis (ICP). Obstetric cholestasis is another name for it. It affects about one or two pregnant women out of every 1,000. ICP is unavoidable. Your doctor, on the opposite hand, can assist you.

If you're pregnant, you're more likely to have cholestasis if you:

  • Carry several children
  • Have a mother or sister who has suffered ICP or cholestasis?
  • Have you already suffered from liver damage?
  • Have you been diagnosed with chronic hepatitis C?
  • Treatment with in vitro fertilization (IVF)

In your second or third trimester, you're more prone to get ICP. You may begin with itchy hands and feet. It may get worse at night. You may get yellow skin and eyes, as well as dark urine. Inform your physician of your symptoms.

ICP can raise your baby's risk of:

  • Birth at a young age
  • Stillbirth
  • Breathing difficulties
  • Problems with movement or an abnormal heart rate

ICP normally disappears after 4 to 6 weeks of your baby's birth. However, it's possible that it'll happen again the next time you're pregnant or if you use oral birth control.

Diagnosis of Cholestasis

Your physician will inquire about your medical history. She'll want to know how long you've been suffering from your symptoms and whether you're on any medications. If you consume a lot of alcohol, tell your doctor.

  • You will also be subjected to a physical examination. The doctor may perform tests to see if you have:
  • Underneath your epidermis, there are broken blood vessels.
  • The spleen or gallbladder is enlarged.
  • Your stomach is full of liquid.
  • Pain in the stomach
  • Pain in the right upper abdomen that might spread to the right shoulder

You might also require:

Tests on the blood: These can reveal how well your liver is functioning. If you have cholestasis, two enzymes are frequently elevated. Alkaline phosphatase and gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase are the enzymes in question.

Your bilirubin will also be measured by your doctor. This may indicate the severity of your cholestasis. However, blood tests will not reveal the reason for your cholestasis to doctors.

A scan of your organs may be requested by your doctor. This can aid in the detection of a blockage or tumor. An ultrasound, computed tomography (CT) scan, or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) may be required (MRI). These exams create images of your organs using sound, X-rays, or radio waves. If your bile duct is obstructed, you may need more in-depth imaging studies.

A biopsy of your liver tissue may be performed by your doctor. This will offer more information about your liver's health.

Treatment for Cholestasis

The treatment you receive will be determined by the cause of your cholestasis. If you have an illness or infection, you must treat it. You may need to switch medications. If something is blocking your bile duct, your doctor may remove it surgically or non-surgically. A stent may be required. This is a metal or plastic item that can be used to keep the duct open.

Your doctor can prescribe medication to help you feel better while you recover. These medications inhibit bile from entering your body through your skin.

It's also possible that you'll need to:

  • Stop consuming alcoholic beverages.
  • Stop using certain medicines.
  • Calcium, vitamin D, or vitamin K are all good choices.
  • Lower bilirubin, a form of waste in the bloodstream, with medicines.
  • Alter your eating habits.
  • Opt for surgery.
  • If alternative therapies fail, you may need a liver transplant