Liver diseases can affect anybody. They are common amongst the general public, not just high-risk groups. Pain need not accompany liver disease, and symptoms are usually fairly generic, including chronic fatigue, problems with concentration, a feeling of pressure in the upper right abdomen.
Many liver diseases can nowadays be treated successfully. Furthermore, diseases such as viral hepatitis A and B (but ot C!) can be vaccinated against. Unfortunately, many liver diseases remain undiagnosed until fairly late after onset, making treatment more diffiicult and increasing the likelyhood of sequelae diseases such as liver cirrhosis or cancer.
It is important for patients to pay attention to warning signals that the body sends out. If a liver disease is suspected, liver enzyme levels should be tested and assessed – a high liver enzyme count is a sign of an underlying problem and must not be taken lightly.
The following test is a short version of a test developed by the Deutsche Leberstiftung (German Liver Foundation) in cooperation with the Deutsche Leberhilfe e.V., one of ELPA’s members.