What Are the Last Stages of Liver Failure?
The last stage of liver failure, cirrhosis, usually develops over a number of years– although acute liver failure can occur. Cirrhosis can be compensated–meaning that the liver retains enough function to perform vital processes–or uncompensated, meaning that the liver can no longer carry out normal functions. About 75 percent of the liver must be destroyed before it becomes nonfunctioning, Sharing in Health reports. Cirrhosis is the third most common cause of death in people ages 45 to 65, the Merck Manual states.
