The treatment of liver disease varies, depending on the type of disease. In some cases, treatment involves minimizing or treating complications that may arise due to liver disease.

Liver diseases may be treated with lifestyle changes, such as:

• Avoiding or limiting alcohol. Alcohol can damage the liver, so abstaining from or minimizing consumption is very important.
  
  
• Avoiding medications that may damage the liver, such as acetaminophen.
  
  
• Eating a well-balanced diet. Liver disease can sometimes impact the body’s ability to absorb nutrients, so patients must take special care to eat foods high in vitamins and minerals.
  
  
• Following special diets. Patients with ascites and edema, two common complications of liver disease, may follow a low-sodium diet to reduce fluid buildup. Patients with Wilson's disease may be required to avoid foods that are high in copper, such as liver, shellfish, mushrooms and nuts.
  
  
• Exercising regularly. This can help patients maintain a healthy weight.

Liver diseases may also be treated with medications, including:

• Corticosteroids. A group of anti-inflammatory drugs used to provide relief for inflamed areas of the body by reducing swelling, redness, itching and allergic reactions. They are used to treat conditions such as autoimmune hepatitis and some cases of Budd Chiari syndrome.
  
  
• Interferon. Naturally produced proteins in the immune response that attack viruses and other foreign agents. Interferon is used to treat viral hepatitis.
  
  
• Beta blockers. Medication to treat high blood pressure. A common complication of liver disease is portal hypertension (increased blood pressure in the portal vein).
  
  
• Chelating agent. Medication that binds to copper and helps eliminate it from the body. It is used to treat Wilson’s disease.
  
  
• Chemotherapy. This involves using powerful medications to kill cancer cells. Liver cancer is treated with chemotherapy.

Liver diseases may be treated with medical procedures, including:

• Removing blood from the body (phlebotomy). Hemochromatosis is treated with the regular removal of blood from the body to reduce iron levels in the blood.
  
  
• Removing abdominal fluid. Some patients require fluid to be removed from the abdominal cavity with a needle using local anesthetic. Patients may require antibiotics to lessen the possibility of bacterial peritonitis.
  
  
• Radiation therapy. This involves using high-dose x-rays to kill cancer cells and shrink tumors. It is a treatment technique for liver cancer.

Liver diseases may also be treated with surgical procedures, including:

• Shunt surgical procedures. Technique to improve the flow of blood in the veins leading to the liver. It may be used to treat portal hypertension. One common type of shunt procedure is the transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS). This involves placing a stent (tubular device) in the middle of the liver to redirect blood flow.
  
  
• Liver transplantation. This is the only treatment option for patients with liver failure. It involves removing a damaged liver and replacing it with a liver from a donor. Though liver transplantation is successful in a large number of patients, the number of patients that need a new liver is much larger than the number of donated organs. Living-donor transplants are an option for some patients, and involve the transplantation of part of a liver from a donor into a patient.

Researchers are studying many potential advances in treating liver disease, including gene therapy, stem cells and experimental medications.