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Causes and risk factors

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Different factors can damage the liver; for example, toxic substances, viruses, autoimmune diseases or metabolic diseases, such as diabetes. Sometimes, there may be more than one risk factor in the same patient. The main risk factors are:

Currently, the main cause of liver cirrhosis is alcohol consumption.

Viral hepatitis (hepatitis C and hepatitis B) are also frequent causes of cirrhosis. Recently, drugs against hepatitis C have been discovered that reduce the complications associated with cirrhosis. Cirrhosis caused by viral hepatitis is expected to become rare in the coming years.

However, the increase in cases of cirrhosis due to non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is notable. This disease is closely related to factors such as obesity, high blood pressure, diabetes or alterations in lipid metabolism.

Other less frequent causes of cirrhosis are those associated with autoimmune diseases, such as autoimmune hepatitis and cholestatic diseases (those reducing the flow of bile). There are also causes related to hereditary metabolic disorders (alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, Wilson disease and haemochromatosis).

Substantiated information by:

Adrià Juanola Mayos

Elisa Pose Mendez

Isabel Graupera Garcia-Milà Hepatologist Senior Specialist Hepatology Service

Martina Perez Guasch

Pere Ginès Gibert Hepatologist Hepatology Service

Published: 5 January 2023
Updated: 5 January 2023

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