While many people associate liver disease with alcohol abuse, drug addiction can lead to liver damage as well. Drug-induced liver disease refers to disease of the liver that is caused by the abuse of illicit, over the counter, or prescription drugs. Our drug and alcohol treatment center in Gilman knows that drug abuse and liver disease can result in a range of health abnormalities and offers help to those struggling with an addiction.
Most drugs are eliminated via the liver and kidneys. Specifically, the liver is an organ on the upper right-hand side of the abdomen that helps flush out toxins from the body and performs a variety of other functions. People who struggle with drug abuse can benefit from a medically monitored detox because it can help their body flush out the toxins, allowing the liver to recuperate.
Some functions of the liver include:
The adverse effects of drugs on the liver not only include different diseases, but death as well. People who are addicted to drugs may not realize they’re experiencing problems with their liver because they avoid medical treatment.
Because the liver’s main job is to flush out and disarm harmful chemicals and toxins that enter the body, active drug addiction would essentially force the liver to work significantly harder than normal. Drug abuse can cause different forms of liver disease like hepatitis and cirrhosis.
Drug-induced hepatitis refers to the inflammation of the liver. Drugs that can cause hepatitis include Percocet, Vicodin, Ibuprofen, Naproxen, birth control pills, aspirin, and statins. People who combine these drugs with alcohol are at an even higher risk of developing hepatitis.
Symptoms of drug-induced hepatitis include:
Cirrhosis is a type of liver disease that causes loss of liver cells and scarring in the liver. Cirrhosis disarms the body, leaving it vulnerable to bacteria and other toxins that can cause disease and even death.
Symptoms of cirrhosis include:
Those who struggle with drug abuse and fail to receive addiction treatment are at risk of developing these liver diseases and more. At Banyan Treatment Centers Heartland, we offer a variety of addiction treatment programs that can help you or a loved one get sober.
Drugs cause liver damage in one of two ways: by directly affecting it and by becoming a dangerous chemical that can be harmful to the liver even after the liver has processed it.
Liver damage is measured by three types of liver toxicity:
This level of toxicity refers to drugs that can cause liver disease in most people if a high enough dose is ingested. A common example of drugs that cause dose-dependent toxicity is Tylenol or any medications that include acetaminophen.
Drugs that cause idiosyncratic toxicity only affect people that have specific genes. These genes affect how the liver breaks down certain drugs. This is the most common form of drug-induced liver disease because people usually take several medications at a time.
When a person has an allergic reaction to a drug, liver inflammation occurs due to the immune system’s attempts at fighting back the drugs.
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