Cirrhosis has various causes. In the United States, heavy alcohol consumption and chronic hepatitis C have been the most common causes of cirrhosis. Obesity is becoming a common cause of cirrhosis, either as the sole cause or in combination with alcohol, hepatitis C, or both. Many people with cirrhosis have more than one cause of liver damage.
Cirrhosis is not caused by trauma to the liver or other acute, or short-term, causes of damage. Usually, years of chronic injury are required to cause cirrhosis.
This answer is based on source information from the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases.
There are many causes of cirrhosis of the liver, including:
- drinking alcohol heavily during one's life
- hepatitis virus
- nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, a condition of the liver
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