YOU ARE HERE:
The liver
The liver is the largest internal organ in your body. It is located at the upper right hand side of the abdomen. Having a healthy liver is important to everybody, but it is especially important to people with HIV as the liver plays an important part in processing medicines used to treat HIV. Viral infections which affect the liver, such as hepatitis A, hepatitis B and hepatitis C can make you very ill, and also mean that the liver isn't able to process medicines properly.
What your liver does
Your liver has three major functions:
- It stores and filters blood, removing unwanted substances.
- It makes bile, which is released into your gut and helps digest fat.
- It processes nutrients from foods, releasing energy into your blood stream, and stores vitamins and minerals.
What can go wrong with your liver
Drinking a lot of alcohol over a long period of time can damage your liver, leading to a condition called cirrhosis, meaning that your liver is permanently scarred and can no longer work properly.
Certain recreational drugs, such as
heroin, cocaine, and ecstasy can also damage your liver.
Medicines used to treat illnesses and infections, including some HIV drugs, can also damage your liver, causing inflammation, known as hepatitis.
Viruses can also cause disease in the liver. This booklet provides a lot more information on these viruses, mainly hepatitis B and hepatitis C that can cause serious long-term or chronic illness. Information is also included on hepatitis A, which can also make you unwell, but only in the short-term.