Cirrhosis is a condition of chronic, progressive, irreversible damage to the liver resulting in compromised hepatic functioning due to a variety of causes. The seventh leading cause of death in the United States, it affects about 11 million Americans. Although caused by many different conditions, in the United States cirrhosis is most often caused by chronic alcohol consumption. In Third World and developing countries, it usually results from chronic hepatitis, either B, C, or D. Biliary cirrhosis is due to inflammation and scarring of the bile ducts and liver. There is a genetic component to this type of cirrhosis. Other types of cirrhosis include postnecrotic cirrhosis from hepatitis infection and metabolic cirrhosis from diseases such as Wilson’s disease, glycogen storage disease, or α₁-antitrypsin deficiencies. Symptoms are similar regardless of the cause. Fifty percent with an established diagnosis of cirrhosis survive for 2 years; 35% survive 5 years. About 40% of cases are discovered on autopsy.