What Is Autoimmune Hepatitis & Why Is It So Serious?

Medications Continued

Physicians prescribe prednisone at a high dose for the first month of treatment, and gradually reduce the dose over the next several months until the lowest possible dose can be used to control the condition. This is due to the multitude of side effects prednisone can cause, such as diabetes, osteoporosis, osteonecrosis, high blood pressure, cataracts, glaucoma, and weight gain, especially when taken for an extensive period. Adding azathioprine to the treatment plan could help the patient avoid the deplorable side effects of prednisone. A majority of patients will need to continue to take prednisone for eighteen to twenty-four months and may remain on it for the rest of their lives, as autoimmune hepatitis can return if the drug is not taken regularly.

Cirrhosis

When autoimmune hepatitis is left untreated, it can lead to liver scarring, a condition otherwise known as cirrhosis. In fact, cirrhosis of the liver is often the first complication autoimmune hepatitis patients experience. It is also a common trigger for subsequent complications. The longer it goes untreated, the more damage the liver will incur, until a patient's liver fails entirely. It's important to diagnose and treat autoimmune hepatitis early to avoid liver failure. If the condition leads to advanced liver disease, patients might need to undergo a liver transplant.