How can indigestion and abdominal pain be managed?
Q: My 33 years old friend has been experiencing abdominal pain for the last two weeks. He also has problems in digesting his food. His blood test reports are cited below:-
Lipid profile
Total cholesterol- 249.58 mg/dl
Liver Function Test
Please comment on the above cited report and advise the mode of treatment.
A:Your friend has elevated liver tests. There can be several causes for this, the most important are viral infections. Therefore, the first step is to test for viruses A, B, C and E. If these tests are negative, your friend may have increased fat in the liver (called fatty liver disease). In that case, I suggest the following:
- Maintain ideal body weight (if overweight).
- Proper control of diabetes and hyperlipidemia (if these problems are present).
- It is good to have regular (once a year) blood tests for these conditions.
- Regular exercise (1/2 hr of brisk walk, 4-5 times a week.
- Alcohol use in moderation.
