Fatty liver is the disease of our day!
Gastroenterology Specialist Prof. Dr. Yılmaz Bilgiç stated that fatty liver has become one of the most important health problems of our day.
Bilgiç, who drew attention to the fact that fatty liver disease has been increasing in the last 30-40 years, said the following about the main reasons for this increase: “Fatty liver disease is the disease of our day. The increase in obesity, unhealthy eating habits, sedentary lifestyle and increased alcohol consumption in recent years are among the main reasons for this problem. The increase in obesity also brings about cases of fatty liver disease.”
"THERE ARE THREE DIFFERENT TYPES OF OIL"Prof. Dr. Bilgiç stated that fatty liver is examined under three main headings, “The first is non-alcoholic fatty liver. This type of fatty liver is usually seen in obese and diabetic patients. However, it can also occur in thin individuals due to genetic predisposition. The second is alcoholic fatty liver. It occurs as a result of long-term and regular consumption of alcohol. The third is metabolic fatty liver. This fatty liver is a part of the metabolic syndrome that develops with some diseases,” he said.
Prof. Dr. Bilgiç, who mentioned that fatty liver disease can progress without symptoms, stated that this situation is more dangerous especially in high-risk individuals. Prof. Dr. Bilgiç said, “Fatty liver disease can sometimes progress without any symptoms. Patients usually apply to us with a feeling of fullness and pain in the right upper quadrant. However, in many cases, it is detected incidentally in blood tests or ultrasounds taken for other reasons. The riskiest groups are individuals who have diabetes, alcohol consumption and obesity together.”
"LIVER FATTY IS EXAMINED IN THREE STAGES"Prof. Dr. Yılmaz stated that liver steatosis is evaluated with ultrasonography and said, “In ultrasonography, liver steatosis is examined in three stages: Steatosis 1 (S1), Steatosis 2 (S2) and Steatosis 3 (S3). The most advanced stage is defined as S3. We also use a device called Fibroscan to measure the hardness and amount of fat in the liver. With the help of this device, liver steatosis is evaluated quantitatively.”
"FATIS CAN TURN INTO LIVER FAILURE"Prof. Dr. Bilgiç stated that in recent years, fatty liver has become one of the most important causes of liver cirrhosis and failure, and said, “I have been practicing medicine for 25 years. In the past, the most common causes of liver cirrhosis were hepatitis B and C, but today, fatty liver is replacing these diseases. This shows that adopting healthy lifestyle habits plays a critical role in protecting liver health.”
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