A doctor last week urged people to look for five key warning signs of acute liver failure after popular producer-turned-entertainer Shen Yu-lin (沈玉琳) was reportedly admitted to an intensive care unit for fulminant hepatitis.
Fulminant hepatitis is the rapid and massive death of liver cells, impairing the organ’s detoxification, metabolic, protein synthesis and bile production functions, which if left untreated has a mortality rate as high as 80 percent, according to the Web site of Advancing Clinical Treatment of Liver Disease, an international organization focused on liver disease prevention and treatment.
People with hepatitis B or C are at higher risk of developing fulminant hepatitis, and common triggers include excessive alcohol consumption, smoking and eating pickled foods, Shin Kong Wu Ho Su Memorial Hospital Department of Health Management deputy director Liu Peng Chi (柳朋馳) said.
Photo: Taipei Times
Five key symptoms of fulminant hepatitis include nausea, loss of appetite, malaise, yellowing of the skin and dark urine, he said.
A common cause of fulminant hepatitis is viral hepatitis, which, if caused by hepatitis A, is mostly associated with consuming contaminated food or water, Liu said.
People with hepatitis B or C are chronic carriers who are at an increased risk of developing fulminant hepatitis, so they should maintain healthy lifestyles, he said.
They should also seek routine check-ups, including taking an alpha-fetoprotein test every six months and an abdominal ultrasound every year, or every six months if they have developed liver fibrosis or cirrhosis, he said.
To prevent fulminant hepatitis, people should reduce the risk of chronic liver inflammation, by avoiding fatty liver disease, excessive alcohol consumption, smoking and the consumption of pickled foods or Chinese herbal medicine from unreliable sources, he said.
Some people might develop fulminant hepatitis without symptoms, and only begin to experience nausea, loss of appetite or malaise when their liver enzyme levels exceed 300 international units per liter, Liu said.
If a person’s skin or the whites of their eyes turn yellow, and if their urine turns tea-colored or darker, they should seek medical attention, he said.
Nutritionist Remin Kao (高敏敏) on Thursday posted on Facebook six tips to prevent fulminant hepatitis.
Kao recommended eating three meals per day that are low in fat, sodium, sugar and alcohol; consume sufficient and quality protein, such as soy, fish, eggs and lean meat; and consume enough vitamins B and C, zinc and selenium, by eating foods such as spinach, sweet potato leaves, guava, mushrooms and broccoli.
People, especially those who are living with a hepatitis B carrier, should get a hepatitis B vaccine; avoid sharing needles, razors, toothbrushes and other personal items that have direct contact with blood and body fluids; and avoid folk remedies, herbal medicine or weight loss drugs from unknown sources, as many of them have not passed strict examinations and might contain ingredients that are harmful to the liver, she wrote.
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