What to do for Primary Biliary Cirrhosis ?
- Primary biliary cirrhosis is a chronic disease that causes the small bile ducts in the liver to become inflamed and damaged and ultimately disappear.  - When chronic inflammation damages the bile ducts, bile and toxic wastes build up in the liver, damaging liver tissue. This damage to the liver tissue can lead to cirrhosis.  - The causes of primary biliary cirrhosis are unknown. Most research suggests it is an autoimmune disease.  - Primary biliary cirrhosis is more common in people who have a parent or siblingparticularly an identical twinwith the disease.  - The first and most common symptoms of primary biliary cirrhosis are fatigue, itching, and dry eyes and mouth. Some people may have jaundice, a condition that causes the skin and whites of the eyes to turn yellow. Health care providers diagnose up to 60 percent of people with primary biliary cirrhosis before symptoms begin.  - Most complications of primary biliary cirrhosis are related to cirrhosis and start after primary biliary cirrhosis progresses to cirrhosis.  - A health care provider may use the following tests to diagnose primary biliary cirrhosis:      - a medical and family history    - a physical exam    - blood tests    - imaging tests    - a liver biopsy    - Health care providers prescribe ursodiol (Actigall, Urso) to treat primary biliary cirrhosis. Early treatment with this medication reduces the likelihood of needing a liver transplant and improves survival.  - A health care provider may consider a liver transplant when cirrhosis leads to liver failure or treatment for complications is ineffective.