Latest Developments in the Treatment of Cirrhosis

Cirrhosis, affecting millions of adults in the U.S., has several common symptoms like muscle cramps, itching, sleep dysfunction, and sexual dysfunction. Treatment options for these symptoms include pickle juice and taurine to relieve muscle cramps, bile acid binders and naltrexone for itching, sleep hygiene and medications like hydroxylsine and melatonin for sleep dysfunction, and prescription therapies for sexual dysfunction. Furthermore, complications of cirrhosis like hepatic encephalopathy, ascites, and varicial bleeding have evidence-based treatments such as lactulose and refaxamine for hepatic encephalopathy, aldosterone antagonists combined with diuretics for ascites, and non-selective beta blockers for varicial bleeding.