What is cholestasis?
Cholestasis is a decrease or stoppage of bile flow. The problem lies in the liver or bile ducts.
Bile that cannot flow properly leaks into the bloodstream and backs up into the organs - the final result of this reaction is an inflammatory process. Bile that does not reach the intestines causes problems in the digestive system.
The main symptoms are:
Diagnosis and treatment
If you have symptoms of cholestasis, your doctor will begin the diagnostic process with a complete blood count. The purpose of this laboratory study is to assess the level of bilirubin and bile salts. The doctor will also be interested in whether there is an increase in cholesterol and specific liver enzymes.
An abdominal ultrasound or computed tomography may be necessary. In some clinical cases, magnetic resonance imaging is prescribed to examine the gallbladder system in detail.
Cholestasis can be managed by treating the underlying cause, in particular, antibiotics or antiviral medications are prescribed in the event of an infection, and if the cause of the acute process is a drug, the doctor will replace it with an alternative.
If the cause is chronic liver disease, treatment is much more difficult; some diseases have no known cure, and cirrhosis is irreversible.
The progression of some liver diseases can be slowed by lifestyle changes (diet, exercise, alcohol abstinence, etc.). In such clinical cases, the main goal of the treatment course is to manage the side effects of the disease.
Source:
https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/24554-cholestasis
