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Risk factors

By Mayo Clinic staff

Factors that may increase your risk of liver problems include:

  • A job that exposes you to other people's blood and body fluids
  • Blood transfusion before 1992
  • Body piercings
  • Certain herbs and supplements
  • Certain prescription medications
  • Diabetes
  • Heavy alcohol use
  • High levels of triglycerides in your blood
  • Injecting drugs using shared needles
  • Obesity
  • Tattoos
  • Unprotected sex
  • Working with chemicals or toxins without following safety precautions
References
  1. Your liver. Your life. What everybody needs to know about liver wellness. American Liver Foundation. http://www.yourliver.org/Liver-Wellness-Presentation.pdf. Accessed Feb. 24, 2011.
  2. Viral hepatitis: A through E and beyond. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/viralhepatitis/index.htm. Accessed Feb. 24, 2011.
  3. Cirrhosis. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/cirrhosis/index.htm. Accessed Feb. 24, 2011.
  4. It's dangerous to ignore your liver. American Liver Foundation. http://www.yourliver.org/risk.html. Accessed Feb. 24, 2011.
  5. Liver biopsy. National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases. http://digestive.niddk.nih.gov/ddiseases/pubs/liverbiopsy/index.htm. Accessed Feb. 24, 2011.
  6. Know your ALT. American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases. http://www.aasld.org/patients/Pages/KnowYourALT.aspx. Accessed Feb. 24, 2011.
  7. Pratt DS. Liver chemistry and function tests. In: Feldman M, et al. Sleisenger & Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Pathophysiology, Diagnosis, Management. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa.: Saunders Elsevier; 2010. http://www.mdconsult.com/books/about.do?eid=4-u1.0-B978-1-4160-6189-2..X0001-7--TOP&isbn=978-1-4160-6189-2&about=true&uniqId=229935664-2192. Accessed Feb. 24, 2011.
  8. Seeff LB. Herbal hepatotoxicity. Clinics in Liver Disease. 2007;11:577.
DS01133 April 16, 2011

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