Cirrhosis refers to scarring of the liver. Scar tissue cannot do what healthy liver tissue does—make protein, help fight infections, clean the blood, help digest food, and store energy for when you need it. Too much scar tissue means that your liver cannot work properly. To live, you need a liver that works.Cirrhosis can be life-threatening, but it can also be controlled if treated early.

Portal hypertension. Normally, blood from the intestines and spleen is carried to the liver through the portal vein. But cirrhosis slows the normal flow of blood, which increases the pressure in the portal vein. This condition is called portal hypertension.

Esophageal varices and gastropathy. When portal hypertension occurs, it may cause enlarged blood vessels in the esophagus, called varices, or in the stomach, called gastropathy, or both. Enlarged blood vessels are more likely to burst due to thin walls and increased pressure. If they burst, serious bleeding can occur in the esophagus or upper stomach, requiring immediate medical attention.

Primary biliary cirrhosis develops over time and may ultimately cause the liver to stop working completely. Most people are diagnosed early, before the disease progresses. Early treatment delays—but does not stop—the eventual onset of cirrhosis and liver failure. Primary biliary cirrhosis is more common in people who have a parent or sibling—particularly an identical twin—with the disease.