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Hepatologists are medical professionals who specialize in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of diseases of the liver, gallbladder, bile ducts, and pancreas.

Hepatologists deal with viral hepatitis and alcohol-related disorders the most. Hepatitis affects millions of people around the world and has been linked to a variety of negative outcomes, including liver cancer and liver transplantation. Hepatitis B and C, in particular, are known to induce liver cancer. Cirrhosis and other problems have been linked to excessive alcohol intake.

A hepatologist can treat a variety of conditions.

Some of them include:

• Liver cirrhosis
• Hepatitis
• Ascites
• Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency
• Cancer of the liver
• NAFLD- Non- alcoholic fatty liver disease
• Encephalopathy of the hepatic system
• Obesity
• NASH- Nonalcoholic Steatohepatitis
• Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis
• Primary Biliary Cholangitis
• Bile duct obstruction
• Acetaminophen overdose
• Auto-immune illnesses
• Toxin poisoning

Hepatologists go to medical school to complete their graduation in MBBS and then finish additional training and certifications.

The qualifications may consist of the following:

• A Doctor of Medicine (MD) or Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO) is earned after four years of medical school (DO)
• Internal medicine residency is a three-year programme.
• An additional specialization training and certification in hepatic science and hepatology.

A variety of diagnostic tests can be requested by the hepatologists depending on the condition of the patient and the patient's medical history.

Some of them include:

• A liver biopsy
• Computed Tomography, also known as CT scan
• Alkaline phosphatase test
• Prothrombin time (PT)
• Vitamins A, D, E, and K
• Serum bile acid (SBA)
• Zinc
• Alanine aminotransferase (ALT test)
• Ammonia
• Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP)
• HIDA scan
• Magnetic resonance cholangiopancreatography (MRCP)
• sonogram
• Alpha fetoprotein (AFP)
• Albumin
• Complete blood count (CBC)
• Essential fatty acids (EFAs)
• AST (aspartate aminotransferase)
• Bilirubin
• GGT (gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase)
• Glucose

After a visit to a general physician, they might refer you to a hepatologist, based on their observation and diagnosis.

Some troubling symptoms or indicators for which a hepatologist must be consulted are mentioned below:

• Liver problems: Cirrhosis, hepatitis, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFL), nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), primary biliary cholangitis, and primary sclerosing cholangitis are some of the conditions that can affect the liver and require immediate attention from a hepatologist
• Having abnormal liver function test result: Liver function tests also known as LFT in medical terms examine the functioning of your liver enzymes and proteins. In case the blood tests reveal abnormally high or low results, it could be an indicator of liver diseases, such as hepatitis, cirrhosis, or pharmaceutical overdoses, and need a hepatologist's supervision.

Some other symptoms associated with liver problems are:

• Gastrointestinal bleeding that occurs suddenly
• Sudden bleeding from the upper GI tract
• Prolonged heavy drinking: It causes lesions and irregular veins in the esophagus and stomach, resulting in bleeding or blood vomiting
• Jaundice: When your skin and the whites of your eyes turn yellow, it's called jaundice. The yellow color is caused by an excess of bilirubin, a type of bile pigment that occurs when hemoglobin is broken down.

At your first consultation, a hepatology expert/ hepatologist will take a thorough history of your symptoms and coordinate the required tests to arrive at a diagnosis as quickly as possible.

• This will most likely include a variety of scans and blood tests, as well as a liver biopsy.
• Depending on the diagnosis, your treatment options may include pills and other medications, surgery, liver ablation to destroy a tumor or simple monitoring.
• The physician will provide you with advice on how to improve your health through lifestyle changes.
• You can expect a thorough discussion on the liver history and symptoms with your doctor.