(HealthDay News) -- Cirrhosis is the medical term used to describe the slow deterioration of the liver as a result of chronic injury to the organ.
The U.S. National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse says cirrhosis causes scarring of the liver, which can impair its ability to:
- Fight off infection.
- Eliminate toxins and bacteria from the blood.
- Process medications, hormones and nutrients from food.
- Create the proteins that help the blood clot.
- Make bile to help absorb fats, including cholesterol.
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