Members, S. (2014). Liver Disease and Fasting during the Month of Ramadan. Afro-Egyptian Journal of Infectious and Endemic Diseases, 4(2), 112-113. doi: 10.21608/aeji.2014.17998
Staff Members. "Liver Disease and Fasting during the Month of Ramadan". Afro-Egyptian Journal of Infectious and Endemic Diseases, 4, 2, 2014, 112-113. doi: 10.21608/aeji.2014.17998
Members, S. (2014). 'Liver Disease and Fasting during the Month of Ramadan', Afro-Egyptian Journal of Infectious and Endemic Diseases, 4(2), pp. 112-113. doi: 10.21608/aeji.2014.17998
Members, S. Liver Disease and Fasting during the Month of Ramadan. Afro-Egyptian Journal of Infectious and Endemic Diseases, 2014; 4(2): 112-113. doi: 10.21608/aeji.2014.17998
Liver Disease and Fasting during the Month of Ramadan
Tropical Medicine Department, Faculty of Medicine, Zagazig Universty,Egypt
Abstract
The fasting during the month of Ramadan is an integral part of the Islamic believes. During this month Moslems begins daily fasting from the time of dawn to the time sunset in a continuum. This month is a lunar month that rotates throughout the seasons of the year. Although Ramadan fasting is safe for all healthy individuals with no adverse effects on the heart, lung, liver, kidney, eyes, hematologic profile, endocrine and neuropsychiatric functions, those with various diseases should consult specialist for the possibility of fasting [1]. This year fasting in Ramadan bears peculiars including the very long day time of about 16 hours, its occurrence in the summer time and during the month of July. This hot atmosphere exposes not only patients with chronic liver diseases but also the general populations to excessive sweating and possibly the problems of electrolytes disturbances. The spectrum of liver diseases in the Egyptian community is wide ranging from self limited acute hepatitis to liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). We commonly see many patients with liver diseases who willing and sometimes insist to fast. The staff members in the Department of Tropical Medicine, Zagazig University, Egypt through a panel discussion shaded the light on this issue. We knew that the level of evidence regarding the following recommendations is very weak because the scarcity of the studies focusing this subject, but it is necessary to formulate a roadmap to help clinicians as well as patients to decide who can fast without harm.