Also called: Acute Liver Failure; Chronic Liver Failure
There are two types of liver failure; acute and chronic.
Acute Liver Failure
During acute liver failure, recovery is not usually possible. Acute liver failure strikes fast. You’ll experience loss of liver function within weeks or even days. It may happen suddenly, without showing any symptoms.
Common causes of acute liver failure include poisoning or drug overdose, which can occur from taking too much acetaminophen (Tylenol). It can also be caused by cancer or other diseases.
Chronic Liver Failure
Chronic liver failure develops more slowly than acute liver failure. It can take months or even years before you exhibit any symptoms. Chronic liver failure is often the result of cirrhosis. Cirrhosis occurs when healthy liver tissue is replaced with scar tissue.
During chronic liver failure, your liver becomes inflamed. This inflammation causes the formation of scar tissue over time. As your body replaces healthy tissue with scar tissue, your liver begins to fail. This can be due to alcohol abuse, some drugs or medications, chronic infection, high-fat diets, some genetic conditions, and autoimmune diseases.
