The stages of long term liver disease

Liver disease can be caused by many things. The most common are alcohol, being overweight, viral hepatitis and autoimmune liver conditions.

In some people, this causes a build-up of fat in the liver (fatty liver) which may then lead to further liver damage.

If the damage is not stopped it may lead to an increase in inflammation in the liver (hepatitis). Then possibly to scarring of the liver (fibrosis). Over time this can cause severe scarring (cirrhosis).

It is possible for most people with a fatty liver, hepatitis, or fibrosis to stop their condition getting worse. Or even get their liver back to normal if the damage is at an early stage. This can be done by taking away whatever is causing the liver damage. For example by getting treatment for viral hepatitis, giving up alcohol, or losing weight.

Even after cirrhosis develops, it is possible to stop it from getting worse. This can help your liver to carry on doing all its important jobs. People can potentially live for many years with cirrhosis.

But if cirrhosis gets worse it can lead to severe complications or liver cancer. Sadly every day 27 people in the UK die from liver diseases, including cirrhosis

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Special thanks

We would like to thank Professor Jonathan Fallowfield, Chair of Translational Liver Research & Principal Investigator, Institute for Regeneration & Repair, University of Edinburgh, for his help reviewing this information.

Published June 2024