NAMAT blog

Jaundice a medical condition which characterise by yellowish discoloration of the skin, mucous membranes and of the white of the eyes.

It is because of elevated levels of the chemical bilirubin in the blood also known as hyperbilirubinemia. Bilirubin is a yellow by-product of the daily natural breakdown and destruction of red blood cells in the liver of the body. Normally, the liver gets rid of bilirubin along with old red blood cells in the form of bile.

It is not a disease but it is a symptom of several possible underlying illnesses. Jaundice forms when there is too much bilirubin in your system. Or when there is abnormality in metabolism or production of bilirubin.

Types of jaundice: There are three main types of jaundice

Hepatocellular  occurs as a result of liver disease or injury.  It is occur when the liver is not able to utilize bilirubin, resulting in it accumulating in the blood.

Haemolytic jaundice occurs as a result of hemolysis, or an excessive breakdown of red blood cells, leading to an increase in production of bilirubin.

Obstructive  occurs as a result of an obstruction in the bile duct. This prevents bilirubin from leaving the liver to reach the intestine. Such obstruction may be due to gallstones or to cholestasis. In cholestasis bile cannot flow from the liver to the duodenum.

Jaundice causes:

There is a normal process in which old or dead red blood cells travel to the liver, and get break down to form bilirubin. Bilirubin is the yellow pigment. Jaundice occurs when your liver doesn’t metabolize bilirubin the way it’s supposed to.

This condition occur when liver get damage and unable to perform this process. Sometimes, the bilirubin simply unable to go to the digestive tract, where it should be removed through the stool.

On other hand, it is also possible when too much bilirubin trying to enter the liver at once, or too many red blood cells dying at one time.

If there is very high bilirubin then it can leak into the surrounding tissues. This is known as hyperbilirubinemia, and it causes the yellow colour in the skin and eyes.