[Exam 1] Chapter 49: Assessment and Management of Patients with Hepatic Disorders Flashcards
Anatomy: Liver receives rich-blood from where?
Portal vein, which drains the GI tract and is rich in nutrients but lacks oxygen
Anatomy: Liver is essentially important in regulation of what
glucose and protein metabolism
Anatomy: What does the liver do?
Manufacture and secrete bile
Anatomy: What does bile do?
Has a major role in digestion and absorption o ffats in GI tract.
Anatomy: The liver removes what
waste products from the bloodstream and secretes them into bile
Anatomy: Bile is stored where?
In the gallbladder until it is needed for digestion.
Anatomy: what are lobules?
Small functional units of the liver
Anatomy: What are Kupffer Cells?
Phagocytic cells of liver. Most common phagocyte in human body and main function are to engulf particulate matter that enters the liver through the portal blood
Anatomy: What are canaliculli?
The smallest bile ducts, and are located between the lobules of the liver. Receive secretions from the hepatoctytes and carry them to larger bile ducts
Function of Liver - Glucose Metabolism: What happens to glucose after a meal?
It is taken up from the portal venous blood by the liver and converted into glycogen, and stored in the hepatocytes.
Function of Liver - Glucose Metabolism: Glycogen is converted back to glucose why?
Released into bloodstream to maintain normal levels of blood glucose.
Function of Liver - Glucose Metabolism: What is gluconeogenesis?
A process where additional glucose can be synthesized by the liver . Uses amino acids from protein breakdown or lactate produced bye exercising muscles. Occurs because of hypoglycemia
Function of Liver - Ammonia Conversion: Why is this formed?
When amino acids from protein are used for gluconeogenesis.
Function of Liver - Ammonia Conversion: What does liver convert this to?
Urea, that is excreted in the urine
Function of Liver - Protein Metabolism: What does liver to for protein metabolism?
Synthesizes almost all of the plasma proteins (albumin, alpha globulins, beta globulins, blood clotting factors)
Function of Liver - Protein Metabolism: Why is Vit K required?
For synthesis of prothrombin and some other clotting factors.
Function of Liver - Protein Metabolism: What is used for protein synthesis?
Amino acids
Function of Liver - Fat Metabolism: Fatty acids can be broken down for what
production of energy and ketone bodies (small compounds that can enter bloodstream and provide source of energy for muscles)
Function of Liver - Fat Metabolism: When does breakdown of fatty acids into ketone bodies occur?
When the availability of glucose for metabolism is limited, like starvation or uncontrolled diabetes.
Function of Liver - Vit/Iron Storage: What is stored in large amounts in liver?
Vit A, B, D, and B-Complex Vitamins. Iron and Copper too.
Function of Liver - Bile Formation: What specifically forms bile?
Hepatocytes
Function of Liver - Bile Formation: What is bile composed of?
Mainly water and electrolytes such as sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride, and bicarbonate. Also contains lecithin, fatty acids, cholesterol, bilirubin, and bile salts.
Function of Liver - Bile Formation: Bile serves as an aid to digestion how
through emulsification of fats by bile salts
Function of Liver - Bile Formation: Bile salts are synthesized how
by the hepatocytes from cholesterol. After binding with amino acids, bile salts are excreted into the bile.
Function of Liver - Bile Formation: Bile salts with cholesterol are required for what?
Emulsification of fats in the intestine, which are necessary for efficient digestion and absorption.
Function of Liver - Bile Formation: What happens when bile salts are reabsorbed?
Primarily done in distal ileum, into portal blood for return to liver and again excreted into the bile.
Function of Liver - Bile Formation: What is enterohepatic circulation?
The pathway from hepatocytes to bile to intestine and back to the hepatocytes. Only fraction of bile salts that enter intestine are excreted in feces
Function of Liver - Bilirubin Excretion: What is bilirubin?
Pigment derived from breakdown of hemoglobin by cells of the reticuloendothelial system, including the kupffer cells of the liver.
Function of Liver - Bilirubin Excretion: What do HEpatocytes do to bilirubin?
Remove it from blood and chemically modify it through conjugation to glucuronic acid, which makes the bilirubin more osluble in aqueous solutions.
Function of Liver - Bilirubin Excretion: COnjugated bilirubin secreted by hepatocytes into what
adjacent bili canaliculi and is eventually carrired in the bile into the duodenum
Function of Liver - Bilirubin Excretion: What happens to bilirubin in small intestine?
Converte dinto urobilinogen, which is partically excreted in the feces and partially absorbed through the intestinal mucosa into the portal blood. Some enters systemic circulation and excreted by kidneys in the urine
Function of Liver - Drug Metabolism: One of the important pathways for medication metabolism involves what?
Conjugation (binding) of the meds with a variety of compounds, such as glucuronic acid.
Function of Liver - Drug Metabolism: What is bioavailability?
The fraction of the given medication that actually reaches systemic circulation.
Function of Liver - Drug Metabolism: How can bioavailability of an oral medication be decreased?
if the medication is metabolized to a great extent by the liver before it reaches the systemic circulation
Liver Assess, Health Hx: Alcohol intake of how much is considered high risk for cirrhosis?
Men: 60-80 g/ day (4 glasses of beer)
Women: 40-60 g/day
Liver Assess, Health Hx: What is cirrhosis?
Chronic liver disorder characterized by fibrotic changes, the formation of dense connective tissue within the liver, and loss of functional liver tissue.
Liver Assess, Health Hx: Symptoms that may have their origin in liver disease include what?
Jaundice, malaise, weakness, fatigue, pruritus, abdominal pain, fever, anorexia, weight gain, edema., easy bruising, and personality changes.
Liver Assess, Physical Assess: What physical signs may occur with liver dysfunction?
Pallor often seen with chronic illness and jaunice
Liver Assess, Physical Assess: Extremities are assessed foro what?
Muscle atrophy, edema, and skin excoriation secondary to scratching.
Liver Assess, Physical Assess: Skin is observed for what?
petechiae or ecchymotic areas (bruises) spider angiomas, and palmar erythema.
Liver Assess, Physical Assess: What specific things are males assessed for?
Unilateral or bilateral gynecomastia and testicular atrophy due to hromonal changes.
Liver Assess, Physical Assess: What neurologic parts are assessed?
General tremor, astreixis, weakness, and slurred speech
Liver Assess, Physical Assess: Abdomen is palpaed to assess what?
Liver size and to detect any tenderness over the liver. May be palpable in the right upper quadrant.
Liver Assess, Physical Assess: How does a palpable liver present?
As a firm, sharp ridge with a smooth surface.
Liver Assess, Physical Assess: If the liver is not palpable but tenderness is suspected, tapping the lower right thorax may elicit what
tenderness.
Liver Assess, Physical Assess: What does nurse do if liver is palpable and enlarged?
Record its size, consistency and tenderness. If enlarged, the degree to which it descends below the right costal margin.
Liver Assess, Physical Assess: Tenderness of the liver indicates what?
recent acute enlargement with nonsequent stretching of the liver capsule.
Diagnostic Eval - Liver Function Tests: How much of the parenchyma of the liver need to be damaged before tests are abnormal?
More than 70%.
Diagnostic Eval - Liver Function Tests: Function is generally measures in terms of what
enzyme zctivity (serum amniotransferases, alkaline phosphate) and serum concentration of proteins (albumin, bilirubin, ammonia, clotting factors, lipids).
Diagnostic Eval - Liver Function Tests: What are serum aminotrasnferases?
Sensitive indicators of injury to the liver cells and are useful in deteting acute liver disease like hepatitis
Diagnostic Eval - Liver Function Tests: What are the most frequently used tests of liver damage?
ALT, AST, and GGT
Diagnostic Eval - Liver Function Tests: What to know for ALT levels?
Increase primarily in liver disorders, and can be used to monitor course of hepatitis or cirrhosis or effects of treatments that may be toxic
Diagnostic Eval - Liver Function Tests: What to know for AST?
AST is present in tissues that have high metabolic activity, therefore level may be increased if there is damage to or death of tissues of organs.
Diagnostic Eval - Liver Function Tests: AST may be increased in what?
Cirrhosis, hepatitis, and liver cancer.
Diagnostic Eval - Liver Function Tests: Increased GGT levels are assocaiated with what
cholestasis but can also be due to alcoholic liver disease.
Diagnostic Eval - Liver Biopsy: What is liver biopsy?
Removal of a small amount of liver tissue, usually through needle aspiration.
Diagnostic Eval - Liver Biopsy: Most common indication for this is to diffuse disorders of what?
Parenchyma and to diagnose space-occupying lesions.
Diagnostic Eval - Liver Biopsy: Most common complication after this?
Peritonitis caused by blood or bile after liver biopsy
Diagnostic Eval - Liver Biopsy: Other techniques for liver biopsy are preferred if why?
AScites (accumulation of alabumin-rich fluid in the peritoneal cavity) or coagulation abnormalites exist.
Diagnostic Eval - Liver Biopsy: How can a liver biopsy be performed?
Percutaneously with ultrasound guidance or transvenously through the right internal jugular vein .
Diagnostic Eval - Other Diagnostic Tests: What can be used to idetnify normal structures and abnormalities?
Ultrasonography, CT, and MRI
Diagnostic Eval - Other Diagnostic Tests: Radioisotope liver scan may be performed to assess what?
Liver size, blood flow, and obstruction
Diagnostic Eval - Other Diagnostic Tests: Noninvasive liver stiffness measures are used why
to identify liver fibrosis and determine its extent.
Diagnostic Eval - Other Diagnostic Tests: Why may laparoscopy be used?
To examine liver and other pelvic strucutres. Also used to perform guided liver biopsy, determine cause of ascites, and diagnose and stage tumors.
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: Hepatic dysfunction results from what?
Damage to the livers parenchymal cells, directly from primary liver diseases, or indirectly from either obstruction of bile flow
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: What are pigment studies?
Studies measure the ability of the liver to conjugate and excrete bilirubin. Results are abnormal in liver and biliary tract disease associated with jaundice
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: Albumin is affected in what?
Cirrhosis, chronic hepatitis, edema, and ascites
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: Globulins are affected in what?
Cirrhosis, liver disease, chronic obstructive jaundice , and viral hepatitis.
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: A/G ratio is reserved where?
In chronic liver disease (decreased albumin and increased globulin)
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: What may affect prothrombin time?
May be prolonged in liver disease. It will not return to normal with Vitamin K in severe liver cell damage.
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: Serum alkaline phosphatase is a sensitive emeasure of what?
biliary tract obstruction
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: When are AST and ALT elevated?
Are elevated in liver cell damage.
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: When is GGT and GGTP elevated?
In alcohol abuse and markers for biliary cholestasis
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: When would ammonia levels rise?
In liver failure
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: How are cholesterol levels in liver disease?
Elevated in biliary obstruction and decreased in parenchymal liver disease
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: Disease processes that lead to hepatocellular dysfunction may be caused by what?
infectious agents such as bacteria and viruses and by anoxia, meabolic disorders, toxins and medications.
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: Most common cause of parenchymal damage?
Malnutrition, especially that related to alcoholism
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: Parenchymal cells respond to most noxious agents how?
By replacing glycogen with lipids, producing fatty infiltration with or without cell death or necrosis. Commonly associated with inflammatory cell infiltration and growth of fibrous tissue.
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: What can cause fatty liver disease?
When lipids accumulate in the hepatocytes
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: What is nonalcoholic fatty liver disease?
When lipids accumulate and is unrelated to alcohol
Manifestations of Hepatic Dysfunction: Most common signs of liver disease include?
Jaundice, portal hypertension, ascites, and varcies, nutritional deficiencies, and hepatic encephalopathy or coma
Jaundice: Bilirubin concentraiton in blood may be increased when?
In presence of liver disease, if flow of bile is impended (by gallstones) or is there is excessive destruction of red bloodo cells
Jaundice: What happens when bilirubin does not enter the intestine?
Urobilinogen is absent from the urine and decreased in the stool
Jaundice: What happens when bilirubin concentration is abnormally elevated?
All of the body tissues, including the sclera and skin and become tinged yellow or greenish-yellow
Jaundice: What bilirubin level is needed to become seen?
When levels go above 2.0
Jaundice: Increased serum bilirubin levels and jaundice may result from what?
Impairment of hepatic uptake, conjugfation of bilirubin, or excretion of bilirubin into the biliary system
Jaundice: What types of jaundice are associated with liver disease?
Hepatocellular and obstructive
Jaundice - Hemolytic Jaundice: What is this a result of?
Increased destruction of red blood cells, and plasma is rapidly floodly with bilirubin so liver cannot excrete the bilirubin as quicklky as its formed
Jaundice - Hemolytic Jaundice: This type of jaundice is encountered with which patient?
With hemolytic transfusion reactions and other hemolytic disorders. Here, bilirubin is predominately unconjugated or free.
Jaundice - Hemolytic Jaundice: What is increased in fecal and urine?
Urobilinogen levels are increased, but urine is free of bilirubn.
Jaundice - Hemolytic Jaundice: What symptoms do they expereince?
Do not experience symptoms or complications as a result of jaundice
Jaundice - Hemolytic Jaundice: What happens if its prolonged?
Even if mild, predisposes to the formation of pigment stones in the gallbladder . Extremly severe jaundice poses a risk for CNS effects.
Jaundice - Hepatocellular Jaundice: What is this caused by?
Inability of damaged liver cells to clear normal amounts of bilirubin from blood.
Jaundice - Hepatocellular Jaundice: Cellular damage may be caused by what
hepatitis viruses, other viruses that affect the liver, chemical toxins or alcohol.
Jaundice - Hepatocellular Jaundice: How is cirrhosis related to this?
This is a form of hepatocellular disease that may promote jaundice.
Jaundice - Hepatocellular Jaundice: This is usually caused by what?
Excessive alcohol intake, but may also be a result of liver cell necrosis caused by viral infection.
Jaundice - Hepatocellular Jaundice: What happens in prolonged obstructive jaundice?
Cell damage eventually develops and both types of jaundice appear together
Jaundice - Hepatocellular Jaundice: Patients with this may have what signs?
Lack of appetite, nausea, malaise, fatigue, weakness, and possible weight loss.
Jaundice - Hepatocellular Jaundice: How may serum bilirubin concentration and urine urobilinogen be?
May be elevated.
Jaundice - Hepatocellular Jaundice: How may AST and ALT levels be?
May be increased, indicating cellular necrosis. Patient may report headache, chills, and fever.
Jaundice - Obstructive Jaundice: This resulting from extrahepatic obstruction may be caused by?
occlusion of the bile ducct from a gallstone, an inflammatory process, a tumor, or pressure from enlarged organ. Or also involve small bile ducts within liver.
Jaundice - Obstructive Jaundice: What may cause obstruction with small bile ducts?
Inflammatory swelling of the liver or by an inflammatory exudate within the ducts themselves.
Jaundice - Obstructive Jaundice: When may intrahepatic obstruction resulting from stasis and inspissation (thickening) of bile within the canaliculi may occur when
after ingestion of certain meds, which are referred to as cholestatic agents.
Jaundice - Obstructive Jaundice: What happens since bile cannot flow normally into the intestine and becomes backed up into the liver?
It is then reabsorbed into the blood and carried throughout the entire body, staining the skin, mucous membranes and sclerae.
Jaundice - Obstructive Jaundice: What color does urine change into when obstructed?
deep orange and foamy
Jaundice - Obstructive Jaundice: What happens because there are decreased amount of bile in intestinal tract?
Stools become light or clay colored.
Jaundice - Obstructive Jaundice: How may their diet change?
May have dyspepsia and intolerance to fatty foods
Jaundice - Hereditary Hyperbilirubinemia: increase serum bilirubin levels can produce what
jaundice
Jaundice - Hereditary Hyperbilirubinemia: What is Gilbert Syndrome?
Familial disorder characterized by an increased level of unconjugated bilirubin that causes jaundice.
Jaundice - Hereditary Hyperbilirubinemia: How does the rest of the liver act even though bilirubin levels increased?
Liver histology and liver function test results are normal and there is no hemolysis.
Jaundice - Hereditary Hyperbilirubinemia: Other conditions that are probably caused by inborn errors of biliary metabolism include what
Dubin-Johnson syndrome, Rotor syndrome, the benign cholestatic jaundice of pregnancy.
Portal Hypertension: What is this?
Increased pressure throughout the portal venous system that results from obstruction of blood flow into and through the damaged liver.
Portal Hypertension: Common manifestations of portal hypertension?
ascites and varices
Ascites - Patho: What are some contributing factors to this?
Portal hypertensiona nd the resulting increase in capillary pressure and obstruction of vneous blood flow through damaged liver.
Ascites - Patho: What can cause there to be an increase in sodium and water retention by kidney?
Failrue of the liver to metabolize aldosterone
Ascites - Patho: What can contirbuute to the movement of fluid from the vascular system into the peritoneal space?
Sodium and water retention, increased intravascular fluid volume, increased lymphatic flow, and decreased synthesis of albumin by the damaged liver
Ascites - Patho: The loss of fluid into the peritoneal space causes further what?
Sodium and water retention by the kidney in an effort to maintain the vascular fluid volume
Ascites - Patho: As a result of liver damanage, large amount of albumin-rich fluid accumulate in peritoneal cavity as what
ascites
Ascites - Patho: With the movement of albumin from the serum to the peritoneal cavity, the osmotic pressure of serum decreases. This results in what
movement of fluid into the peritoneal cavity.
Ascites - CMs: Common presenting symptoms of ascites?
Increased abdominal girth and rapid weight gain. May be SOB and uncomfortable from the enlarged abdomen and striae and distended veins may be visible over abdominal wall.
Ascites - Assess/Diagnostic: Presence and extent of ascites are assessed how
by percussion of the abdomen
Ascites - Assess/Diagnostic: What happens when fluid accumulated in peritoneal cavity?
Flanks bulge when the patient assumes a supine position
Ascites - Assess/Diagnostic: Presence of fluid can be confirmed how?
either by percussing for shifting dullness, by detecting a fluid wave or by performing ballottement technique
Ascites - Assess/Diagnostic: What is a ballottement technique?
Palpation technique performed to identify a mass or enlarged organ within an abdomen with ascites.
Ascites - Medical Mx: This includes what?
Dietary modification, pharmacologic therapy, bed rest, paracentesis and use of shunts.
Ascites - Nutritional Therapy: Goal of treatment for this patient?
Negative sodium balance to reduce fluid retention.
Ascites - Nutritional Therapy: How long for patients taste buds to adjust for unsalted foods?
2-3 months
Ascites - Nutritional Therapy: Foods that contain ammonia could cause what in patient?
Hepatic encephalopathy and coma
Ascites - Nutritional Therapy: What happens if fluid accumulation is not controlled?
Daily sodium allowance may be further lowered and diuretic agents may be given.
Ascites - Nutritional Therapy: What can increase the chances of the patient following this diet?
If the patient and partner preparing the meals understand the rationale for the diet
Ascites - Pharmacologic therapy: First line of therapy for this patients?
Spironolactone , an aldosterone-blocking agent, is used first. Prevents potassium loss.
Ascites - Pharmacologic therapy: Daily weight los should not exceed what?
1 kg in patients with ascites and peripheral edema and 0.5-0.75 for those without edema.
Ascites - Pharmacologic therapy: Possible complications of diuretic therapy?
Fluid and electrolyte disturbances (hypovolemia, hypokalemia, hyponatremia, and hypochloremia alkalosis) and encephalopathy
Ascites - Pharmacologic therapy: What happens in the body when potassium stores are depleted?
Amount of amonia in systemic circulation increases.
Ascites - Bed Rest: An upright posture activates what?
RAAS and Sympathetic Nervous System. Causes reduced glomerular filtration and sodium excretion and decreased response to loop diuretics.
Ascites - Paracentesis: What is this?
Removal of fluid (ascites) from the peritoneal cavity through a puncture or a small surgical incision throught he abdominal wall under sterile conditions.