Etiology/Pathophysiological

Pathophysiology

Your liver plays an critical function in the body, it produce bile, break down cholesterol in the small intestine during digestion, produce certain proteins for blood clotting, store extra glucose and iron as needed, convert harmful ammonia to urea to excreted in the urine, clearing the blood of drug and other substances, produce immune factors to resist infection, clearing of bilirubin (buildup of bilirubin, the skin and eyes turn yellow and the liver is the only organ in the body that can easily replace damaged cells, but if loss of the liver function that can cause significant damage to the body.

Cirrhosis are mostly cause by Hepatitis C, Hepatitis B and alcoholism. As mentioned before, the liver in the body is the only organ can easily replace damage cells, however if the liver is chronically get damage from diseases, the normal liver cells will replaced by scar tissue, when scar tissue build up it will eventually preventing the liver from functioning properly. The scar tissue blocks the flow of blood through the liver and slows the processing of nutrients, hormones, drugs, and naturally produced toxins. It also slow the production of proteins and other substances made by the liver. 

References:

Liver Disease Symptoms, Causes, Treatment - What is liver disease? (Continued) - MedicineNet. (2014, July 7). Retrieved April 8, 2015, from http://www.medicinenet.com/liver_disease/page3.htm

Cirrhosis. (2014, August 16). Retrieved April 8, 2015, from http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/cirrhosis/basics/definition/con-20031617

Chronic Liver Disease and Cirrhosis. (2015, February 6). Retrieved April 8, 2015, from http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/fastats/liver-disease.htm