It is a late stage liver disease in which healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue and the liver is irreversibly/ permanently damaged leading improper liver functioning and several complications.

Common causes include- alcoholic liver disease, non alcoholic fatty liver disease ( advanced) , chronic hepatitis B/ C among various other causes.

Symptoms vary with complications and may not appear untill liver is badly damaged.
Diagnosis is based on medical history, physical examination, blood tests ( viral infections, blood cell counts, liver function tests, coagulation abnormalities) , imaging tests ( ultrasound, color doppler, fibroscan) , endoscopic examination ( to rule out increased portal pressure) and liver biopsy ( to ascertain the etiology and extent of damage) .

There is no specific treatment that cures or reverses the damaged liver. However, treating the underlying causes and complications of cirrhosis may keep the disease from getting worse and help prevent/ delay the liver failure and mortality.