- Main symptoms
- When it can be serious
- When it can become fulminant
- What are the causes
- How to confirm
Acute hepatitis is defined as an inflammation of the liver that in most cases starts suddenly, lasting only a few weeks. There are several causes for hepatitis, which include virus infections, medication use, alcoholism or immunity diseases.
Despite the various causes, the symptoms presented in acute hepatitis are usually similar, including malaise, headache, fatigue, lack of appetite, nausea, vomiting, yellow skin and eyes. Generally, this inflammation progresses in a benign way, presenting a cure after a few weeks or months, however, some cases can become severe, and can progress to death.
Therefore, it is always necessary that, in the presence of symptoms that suggest hepatitis, the person must undergo medical evaluation, for clinical evaluation and request for tests, such as measurement of liver enzymes (ALT and AST) and abdominal ultrasound. Treatment includes rest, hydration and use of medications in specific cases, according to the cause.
Main symptoms
Although they can vary depending on the cause, the main symptoms of hepatitis are:
- Tiredness or fatigue; Loss of appetite; Fever; Pain in the joints and muscles; Malaise; Headache; Nausea; Vomiting.
After a few days from the start of complaints, in some cases a yellow color may appear on the skin and eyes called jaundice, accompanied or not by itchy skin, dark urine and whitish stools. Afterwards, it is common to follow a recovery period, with a decrease in signs and symptoms, frequently evolving to cure the disease.
In some cases, the inflammatory process of hepatitis can last more than 6 months, turning into chronic hepatitis. Learn more about chronic hepatitis.
When it can be serious
Although not common, any acute hepatitis can become severe, especially when it is not detected early and when treatment is not started properly. If hepatitis becomes severe, it can compromise the functioning of the liver and bile ducts, which increases the risk of bleeding, interferes with the production of proteins or the functioning of the immune system and can affect the functioning of other organs in the body.
In addition, during the acute phase of hepatitis, there may be acute liver failure, which must be diagnosed early as rapid therapeutic interventions, such as liver transplantation, may be necessary.
When it can become fulminant
Acute fulminant hepatitis is also known as acute liver failure, and appears only in rare cases of hepatitis that evolve very intensely and impair the entire metabolism of the body. It is one of the most serious diseases of the liver, and can progress to death in 70 to 90% of patients, with the risk increased according to age.
The initial symptoms of fulminant hepatitis are the same as those of a common hepatitis, adding dark urine, yellow eyes, sleep disturbances, imprecise voice, mental confusion and slow thinking, with the risk of complications such as multiple organ failure. These complications can lead to death, and it is very important to seek medical help whenever symptoms appear that indicate this disease. Learn more about the causes and treatment for fulminant hepatitis.
What are the causes
Among the main causes of acute hepatitis are included:
- Infection with the hepatitis A, B, C, D or E virus. Know the ways of transmission and how to prevent viral hepatitis; Other infections, such as cytomegalovirus, parvovirus, herpes, yellow fever; Use of medications, such as certain antibiotics, antidepressants, statins or anticonvulsants. Learn more about what can cause drug hepatitis; Paracetamol use; Autoimmune diseases, in which the body produces antibodies inappropriately against itself; Changes in copper and iron metabolism; Circulatory changes; Acute biliary obstruction; Worsening of a chronic hepatitis; disorders in fat metabolism; cancer; toxic agents such as drugs, contact with chemicals or consumption of certain teas.
In addition, there is the so-called transinfectious hepatitis, which is caused by infections that do not happen directly in the liver, but accompany serious generalized infections, such as septicemia.
Watch the following video, the conversation between nutritionist Tatiana Zanin and Dr. Drauzio Varella about how to prevent and treat some types of hepatitis:
How to confirm
To confirm acute hepatitis, in addition to analyzing the clinical picture and symptoms presented by the person, the doctor may order tests capable of detecting lesions in the liver tissue or changes in the functioning of the liver and bile ducts, such as alanine aminotransferase (ALT, formerly known as TGP), aspartate aminotransferase (AST, formerly known as TGO), gamma GT, alkaline phosphatase, bilirubins, albumin and coagulogram.
In addition, imaging tests may be requested to observe the appearance of the liver, such as ultrasound or tomography and, if the diagnosis is not clear, it may even be necessary to perform a liver biopsy. Find out more about the liver tests.
