[Therapy of chronic cholestasis]

Therapy of chronic intrahepatic cholestasis is either symptomatic or causal. Symptomatic treatment is focused above all on treatment of pruritus - in the treatment an important place is held by the administration of cholestyramine and Rifadine; administration of opiate antagonists is very promising. In the causal treatment administration of ursodeoxycholic acid predominates. Its favourable effect was proved in several controlled studies. It is useful in primary biliary cirrhosis and primary sclerotizing cholangoitis, however, also in other types of cholestasis. In advanced cases it is a useful starting point for transplantation of the liver.