What department should I visit for fatty liver?

Written by Li Xue Qing
Gastroenterology
Updated on September 30, 2024
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Fatty liver is a disease that indicates a metabolic disorder and is considered a type of digestive system disease, as well as a liver disease. In top-tier hospitals, there is generally a hepatology department where one can seek treatment at their outpatient clinic. In slightly less equipped county-level secondary hospitals or third-tier hospitals, which do not have a hepatology outpatient clinic, one can visit the gastroenterology outpatient clinic. Additionally, basic health clinics, which do not have a gastroenterology outpatient clinic, require visiting a general internal medicine outpatient clinic.

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Written by Huang Gang
Gastroenterology
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Is fatty liver serious?

Is fatty liver serious? There are many causes of fatty liver, including obesity, medications, alcohol consumption, toxins, and malnutrition, all of which can lead to fatty liver. Generally, mild fatty liver can be reversed through proper diet and exercise. However, reversing severe fatty liver can be very difficult and challenging. At this time, patients need to have enduring stamina and confidence to cure fatty liver. The main approach is to strictly control the diet with low salt and low fat, avoiding greasy foods. Additionally, appropriate exercise is very important for eliminating fatty liver. Treating fatty liver cannot rely solely on medications, as this addresses the symptoms but not the root cause. Exercise is essential.

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Written by Li Xue Qing
Gastroenterology
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What foods should people with fatty liver avoid?

People with fatty liver should avoid overly greasy foods such as fatty meat, pig trotters, braised chicken, and braised duck. It is also important not to consume too much meat or foods high in sugar. Excessive intake of meat and sugar can be converted into fat and stored in the body, leading to high levels of fat. Therefore, control is also needed over the consumption of meat and fruits or foods that are high in sugar.

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Written by Tang Li
Cardiology
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Is hyperlipidemia fatty liver disease?

Hyperlipidemia and fatty liver are actually two different concepts. Hyperlipidemia is essentially dyslipidemia, which refers to abnormal quality and quantity of lipids in the plasma. The tests for blood lipids include total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol. With our medical history, physical signs, and laboratory tests, diagnosing hyperlipidemia is not difficult. The current diagnostic criteria are mainly based on the 2017 Chinese guidelines for the prevention and treatment of dyslipidemia in adults, where low-density lipoprotein greater than 4.14 mmol/L suggests elevated low-density lipoprotein. Fatty liver, on the other hand, refers to excessive fat accumulation within liver cells due to various reasons, and is a common pathological change in the liver, rather than an independent disease. Patients with hyperlipidemia are prone to fatty liver.

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Written by Ye Xi Yong
Infectious Diseases
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How to treat hepatitis B coexisting with fatty liver?

The coexistence of hepatitis B and fatty liver can exacerbate liver damage and may also affect the treatment efficacy of hepatitis B virus. For patients with both hepatitis B and fatty liver, in addition to monitoring and treatment for hepatitis B, it is important to adjust their diet and lifestyle, limit fat intake, engage in physical exercise, and promptly eliminate fatty liver. For carriers of the hepatitis B virus, before initiating antiviral therapy, if liver function abnormalities occur, it is necessary to determine whether the liver damage is due to fatty liver or active hepatitis B virus. Treatments can include protecting the liver and eliminating fatty liver. If the response to treatment is unsatisfactory, antiviral treatment for hepatitis should be considered.

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Written by Si Li Li
Gastroenterology
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How to treat severe fatty liver?

The treatment of severe fatty liver is not significantly different from that of mild to moderate fatty liver in terms of medication. The main aspects of treating severe fatty liver include: Firstly, general treatment, which encompasses a healthy diet, appropriate exercise, weight control, and avoiding liver damage. Secondly, medication treatment: Due to large individual differences, there is no absolute, best, quickest, or most effective medication. Apart from using common over-the-counter drugs, it is important to select the appropriate medication based on individual circumstances. Additionally, surgical treatment options are available. For patients with severe obesity and type 2 diabetes, or for those with moderate cases but ineffective control of blood sugar through conservative treatment, weight loss surgery can be considered. Furthermore, combining treatment with traditional Chinese medicine and herbs can also yield excellent results for severe fatty liver.