- Chronic liver disease progresses through stages from chronic hepatitis to cirrhosis to decompensated cirrhosis over many years - Chronic hepatitis is asymptomatic with elevated liver enzymes; cirrhosis is asymptomatic with normal enzymes and an irregular liver on ultrasound; decompensated cirrhosis has symptoms and poor liver function - Acute liver disease can manifest as acute hepatitis, acute liver injury, or acute liver failure depending on the presence of jaundice, coagulopathy, and hepatic encephalopathy - Identifying patients before progression to the next stage of chronic liver disease can be done by assessing for clinically significant portal hypertension and low platelet count