Skip to main content Accessibility help
×
Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-28T06:53:36.620Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

3.3.6 - Encephalopathy

from Section 3.3 - Acute Liver Failure

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 July 2023

Ned Gilbert-Kawai
Affiliation:
The Royal Liverpool Hospital
Debashish Dutta
Affiliation:
Princess Alexandra Hospital NHS Trust, Harlow
Carl Waldmann
Affiliation:
Royal Berkshire Hospital, Reading
Get access

Summary

Key Learning Points

  1. 1. Encephalopathy describes potentially reversible neuropsychiatric abnormalities that are common in those with liver failure.

  2. 2. A wide range of motor and cognitive defects are described in hepatic encephalopathy, with clinical grading by the West Haven classification.

  3. 3. Investigations are useful to determine the aetiology of encephalopathy and to exclude differentials.

  4. 4. Whilst there is a clear role for ammonia in the pathogenesis, raised ammonia levels are not necessary or sufficient for a diagnosis of hepatic encephalopathy.

  5. 5. Management is aimed at correcting the underlying precipitant, lowering systemic ammonia absorption, and managing symptoms and complications.

Type
Chapter
Information
Intensive Care Medicine
The Essential Guide
, pp. 174 - 176
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2021

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

References and Further Reading

Felipo, V. Hepatic encephalopathy: effects of liver failure on brain function. Nat Rev Neurosci 2013;14:851–8.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Suraweera, D, Sundaram, V, Saab, S. Evaluation and management of hepatic encephalopathy: current status and future directions. Gut Liver 2016;10:509–19.Google ScholarPubMed
Wijdicks, E. Hepatic encephalopathy. N Engl J Med 2016;375:1660–70.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed

Save book to Kindle

To save this book to your Kindle, first ensure [email protected] is added to your Approved Personal Document E-mail List under your Personal Document Settings on the Manage Your Content and Devices page of your Amazon account. Then enter the ‘name’ part of your Kindle email address below. Find out more about saving to your Kindle.

Note you can select to save to either the @free.kindle.com or @kindle.com variations. ‘@free.kindle.com’ emails are free but can only be saved to your device when it is connected to wi-fi. ‘@kindle.com’ emails can be delivered even when you are not connected to wi-fi, but note that service fees apply.

Find out more about the Kindle Personal Document Service.

Available formats
×

Save book to Dropbox

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Dropbox.

Available formats
×

Save book to Google Drive

To save content items to your account, please confirm that you agree to abide by our usage policies. If this is the first time you use this feature, you will be asked to authorise Cambridge Core to connect with your account. Find out more about saving content to Google Drive.

Available formats
×