Hepatic encephalopathy is a brain disorder caused by liver dysfunction, often due to liver disease. The liver’s inability to remove toxins from the blood can impair brain function, causing symptoms such as personality changes and impaired consciousness. Diagnosis is made through liver and kidney function tests, blood tests, and imaging. Treatment includes reducing protein in the diet and using medications to reduce ammonia production. Death is almost certain if the patient falls into a coma.
Hepatic encephalopathy is a type of brain disorder that occurs due to liver dysfunction. When the condition of the liver deteriorates such that the organ is no longer able to remove toxins from the blood, the toxins that accumulate can seriously impair brain function, but the exact mechanism by which this occurs is not well understood. included. Hepatic encephalopathy most often occurs due to liver disease such as hepatitis and cirrhosis and can also develop due to dehydration, electrolyte imbalances or gastrointestinal bleeding. This condition can cause sudden personality changes, impaired intellectual function, and impaired consciousness.
One of the most important functions of the liver is to purify the blood of toxic substances such as drugs and metabolites such as ammonia, which is produced as a byproduct of protein digestion. Liver damage can prevent the organ from working efficiently, and when this occurs, toxic substances build up in the bloodstream. In sufficient quantities, these toxins damage the nervous system. Exactly how this occurs is not known, but it is thought that neurotoxins such as ammonia can enter the brain when present in the blood in sufficient quantities, causing cellular changes leading to encephalopathy.
Symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy can be mild or acute, and have a gradual or sudden onset. Mild symptoms include restless sleep or changes in sleep patterns, confusion, forgetfulness, mood or personality changes, impaired ability to concentrate, and impaired judgment. Serious symptoms include hand or arm tremors, abnormal excitement or agitation, disorientation or confusion, drowsiness, drastic personality changes, inappropriate behavior, slow movement, slurred speech, and seizures. Eventually, the patient may lose consciousness or fall into a coma.
This brain disorder is common in people with cirrhosis of the liver. Up to 70% of people with cirrhosis show signs of hepatic encephalopathy. Of those who die from this liver disease, about 30% have significant symptoms of encephalopathy. Brain dysfunction is also a hallmark of fulminant liver failure, otherwise known as hyperacute liver failure. This severe, invariably fatal liver disease is typically caused by acute traumatic injury, infectious agents, or drug overdose.
Diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy is usually made based on liver and kidney function tests and blood tests for sodium, potassium, and ammonia levels. Additionally, a patient might undergo a CT or MRI scan to rule out traumatic injury as the cause of neurological symptoms. Further tests may be done to determine the underlying cause of the encephalopathy.
For people with the chronic form of this condition, treatment includes reducing protein in the diet to support liver function and using medications to reduce ammonia production in the gastrointestinal tract. Drugs such as sedatives and tranquilizers, which are metabolized in the liver, should be avoided to reduce the stress on the organ. The acute form of hepatic encephalopathy is much less likely to respond to this type of supportive treatment. In both acute and chronic hepatic encephalopathy, death is almost a certainty if the patient’s condition deteriorates to the point where they fall into a coma.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
