Cirrhosis has two main stages: compensated cirrhosis and decompensated cirrhosis. Decompensated cirrhosis is also known as cirrhosis with ascites. This is the final stage of cirrhosis, so many patients are concerned about the symptoms of cirrhosis with ascites in order to promptly treat it.
Cirrhosis is the late stage of fibrosis in the liver. You can understand cirrhosis as the replacement of healthy liver tissue with scar tissue leading to permanent liver damage. The main cause of cirrhosis is often due to hepatitis, alcohol abuse, fatty liver or any disease that harms the liver. It can be said that cirrhosis with ascites is the stage where the patient needs medical care and better yet, a liver transplant. At the same time, it is important that you should find out information to recognize the symptoms of cirrhosis with ascites early and get timely treatment in the hospital.
What is cirrhosis with ascites?
Cirrhosis with ascites or decompensated cirrhosis is the term used to describe end-stage cirrhosis characterized by ascites (a large accumulation of fluid in the abdomen). At this stage, fibrosis of the liver tissue accounts for the majority of the damage, causing severe impairment of liver function. The liver is no longer able to recover, purify, and eliminate toxins from the body.
This means that patients with cirrhosis with ascites are at high risk of facing dangerous complications, even death. Therefore, liver transplantation is the treatment method that should be prioritized at this stage.
4 notable symptoms of cirrhosis with ascites
Different from compensated cirrhosis, which is the stage where cirrhosis does not have noticeable symptoms. Cirrhosis with ascites (decompensated cirrhosis) is the stage where the liver struggles to maintain its activities and functions. When cirrhosis progresses to the final stage, you may notice some of the following noticeable symptoms of cirrhosis with ascites:
1. Jaundice and white gold
Bilirubin is a substance produced when red blood cells are broken down. Normally, bilirubin is processed by the liver and excreted in the stool and urine. However, in patients with cirrhosis of the liver, the liver cannot function properly to remove bilirubin. As a result, when bilirubin accumulates, it leads to yellowing of the skin and conjunctiva (or whites) of the eyes.
2. Ascites is a typical symptom of cirrhosis.
High pressure in the hepatic veins also causes another problem, which is ascites or abdominal distension. You can understand ascites as a condition in which fluid and fluids accumulate in the abdomen. This causes the patient’s abdomen to become increasingly distended, the abdominal skin to stretch and expose the blood vessels under the abdominal skin. Ascites is a very common symptom in the stage of decompensated cirrhosis. Therefore, it has an additional name, cirrhosis with ascites.
Patients with cirrhosis with ascites may also experience swelling in the legs and have difficulty eating or lying down due to the large abdomen. To control the symptoms of ascites caused by cirrhosis, you need to ensure that your diet is low in salt. In addition, your doctor may prescribe diuretics or suggest a paracentesis if your condition is severe.
3. Gastrointestinal bleeding
Gastrointestinal bleeding , also known as bleeding in the digestive tract, is often manifested by vomiting blood or noticing black (tarry) stools. In patients with cirrhosis with ascites, gastrointestinal bleeding occurs due to increased portal vein pressure, which causes large blood vessels in the esophagus or stomach to expand. As the blood vessels become larger over time, the pressure increases and they can rupture due to thinning of the blood vessel walls. This causes bleeding in the digestive tract.
Gastrointestinal bleeding is a fairly common condition in patients with cirrhosis and is often a warning sign of danger. Therefore, you need to be hospitalized promptly for timely treatment.
4. Hepatic encephalopathy
Impaired liver function can prevent the liver from eliminating certain toxic substances, such as ammonia. This causes high levels of ammonia in the blood and brain, leading to hepatic encephalopathy (hepatic coma). This is both a symptom of cirrhosis with ascites and a dangerous complication of cirrhosis.
Hepatic encephalopathy can cause patients to experience problems such as confusion, hand tremors, changes in behavior, mood, sleep disorders, memory loss and concentration. More severe cases can also cause coma. Therefore, it can be said that hepatic encephalopathy often causes patients to have difficulty in many daily activities, such as driving, writing, etc.
Some other symptoms of cirrhosis with ascites
In addition to the notable symptoms of cirrhosis with ascites mentioned above, some other symptoms of cirrhosis also commonly occur, including:
- Easy bruising and bleeding
- Itchy skin
- Swelling in legs, feet, ankles
- Dark urine
- Pale, dark stools or blood in the stool
- Fatigue, nausea, loss of appetite
- Right shoulder pain
- Red palms
- Spider veins
- Severe cirrhosis can cause pain in the upper right area of the abdomen.
- If infected, the patient may have high fever and shivering.
- Symptoms of cirrhosis with ascites in men are also manifested through testicular atrophy and gynecomastia (breast development). In women, cirrhosis with ascites can cause menstrual disorders or early menopause.
Through the above information, you must have known that cirrhosis with ascites (decompensated cirrhosis) is a dangerous stage and can progress to liver cancer. Therefore, if you detect some symptoms of cirrhosis with ascites, you need to be hospitalized early for timely diagnosis and treatment.
