Hepatic impairment Flashcards
Why is the uKs health burden to liver disease increasing
Due to alcohol abuse
State the major cause of liver disease in the UK
Alcohol abuse
Hazardous drinking is how may units in men
22-50 units per week
Hazardous drinking is how may units in women
15-35 units per week
In whom is alcohol abus most common in
Affluent middle class
How many people die annually from alcohol lines illnesses
5,500 people
out of 55,000 alcohol related death what causes the highest amount
70% of deaths are due to liver cirrhosis
Are men or women more susceptible to alcohol liver disease
Women
How many people in England and Wales dependent on alcohol
3.8 million
How big is the liver
1.5Kg in healthy adults
Where is the liver situated
In the upper right abdomen directly inferior to the diaphragm and protected by the rib cage
Describe the vascular properties of the liver
- 30% of its blood apple is from hepatic artery
2. 70% of its blood from the portal vein
List the main important functions of the liver
- Processing and Storage of Nutrients Absorbed from the Gut
- Bile Synthesis and Excretion
- Synthesis of Coagulation Factors and Other Proteins
How are nutrients absorbed by the liver
Nutrients absorbed from the intestine travel in the portal vein to the liver where they
are taken up and absorbed by hepatocytes;
What happens to carbohydrates in the liver
They are metabolised to glucose in the liver
What happens to glucose in the liver
Any glucose that is not used immediately as a source of energy is converted to glycogen
Where is glycogen stored
In the liver
Describe glycogen
It can be rapidly converted to glucose when extra energy is required
What can we give to patient who are some from hypoglycaemia
An intramuscular injection of glucagon
What does glucagon do
It converts hepatic glycogen into glucose
When might glucagon not be as effective
If a patient hasn’t glycogen stores eg liver cirrhosis,
Name soem vitamins and minerals stored with in the liver
- Ferritin (iron)
2. Vitamin B12 (80% of body stores).
Why is bile important
It is essential for hydrolysis of dietary lipids by pancreatic lipase
Why do we need to hydrolyse dietary lipids
So that they can be absorbed through the gut wall into the venous blood
What happens if bile is missing in the small bowel
- Dietary fats are not absorbed and result in loss pale fatty stools that float and are difficult to flush away
- The fat soluble vitamins are not absorbed leading to deficiency states
Name the fat soluble vitamins
1, A, D, E and K
Describe bile and what is contain
It is a greenish yellow Liquid that includes:
- Bile salts
- Bilirubin
- Cholesterol
- Electrolytes
- Water
Which cells synthesise bile
Hepatocytes
Where is bile secreted into
- The intrahepatic canaliculi
- Then drains into a system of ducts in the liver
- Drains into the common hepatic duct
How much Bile does the average adult produce
600ml a day
Where can bile temporarily be stored
In the gall bladder
How much capacity for bile does the gall bladder have
50ml
When does bile enter the gall bladder
Ca be stored in the gall bladder before it enters the small bowel via the common Biel duct
why might bile enter the Gall bladder
Usually in repose to lipid rich food entering the duodenum
Where is the junction of the bile duct and duodenum found
Close to the head of the pancreas
What do hepatocytes do
They synthesis:
- the vitamin k dependant coagulation factors II, VII, IX and X
- Albumin
What is albumin
It is major determinant of the blood osmotic pressure
What can reduced albumin levels result in
Tissue oedema
Why is albumin important
important for binding some circulating drugs.
Name the main cells found in the liver
Large population of macrophage lineage cells (Kuppfer cells)
What is the purposes of Kuppfer cells
Positioned to destroy bacteria that may have enters the venous blood, primary by crossing the gut wall
The liver is essential to normal vitamin _ metabolism
D
What is the importance of vitamin D
Promotes the absorption of dietary Ca2+ from the intestine
Which hormone does the liver contribute to the homeostasis of
Sex hormones
What can men with chronic liver disease have
Abnormal sex hormone metabolism which results in clinical feminization and testicular atrophy
How does the liver play a role drug metabolism
Pharmacologically active lipid soluble drugs are converted into pharmacologically inactive hydrophilic metabolites for secretion by the kidneys.
In the UK what is the main cause for liver impairment and failure
- Alcohol induced cirrhosis
- Viral hepatitis
- Congenital causes
List some congenital causes of liver failure and impairment
- Hereditary Haemochromatosis
- Wilson’s disease
- Alpha 1 antitrypson deficiency
What is hereditary Haemochromatosis
A autosomal recessive condition with an incidence of 1 in 200
What does hereditary Haemochromatosis result in
Results in inappropriate deposition of iron in tissues and organ from birth which with time may result in impaired organ function
What is Wilson’s disease
A rare autosomal recessive disease that is characterised by inappropriate deposition of copper in the liver
What is Alpha 1 antitrypson deficiency
A rare autosomal recessive disease where lack of protease Alpha 1 antitrypson results in liver cirrhosis and lung destruction
Where does acquired pathology of liver impairment and failure arise from
- The bile ducts
- The parenchymal cells of the liver
- Th blood vessels
What are liver cells called
Hepatocytes
Where are the smallest vessels of the biliary tree found
Within the liver
Where are the larger terminal vessel and ducts of the biliary tree found
Runs outside of the liver and ultimately into the small bowel
If there is pathology of the liver parenchyma which other organ can get damaged
Secondary damage of the Biel ducts within the liver can occur
Name the most common disorder of the biliary tree
Gallstones
What can gallstones cause
May cause obstructive jaundice
What can biliary tree pathology tropical arise due to
- Lumen obstruction eg gallstones
2. Inflammation and fibrosis of the biliary tree vessel walls
How do gallstones form
They are formed from bile salts by mechanism that are poorly understood
Give some symptoms of gallstones
Majority are asymptomatic but can be associated with: Biliary colic
What is Biliary colic characterised by
Intensely painful spasms as the biliary tree tries to physically move obstructing gallstones
What can happen if bile flow is stopped
An obstructive jaundice may develop
How do we manage gallstones
- Some may spontaneously pass into the small bowel and further intervention is not necessary
- May need physical removal the gallstones
How can we surgically intervene to remove a gall bladder
Passing an endoscope into the common bile duct from an endoscope passed from the mouth to the duodenum
How can we surgically access for removal of gall baldder
- Laparoscopic techniques (‘keyhole’ surgery)
2. An open laparotomy (abdominal incision)
What is Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
A chronic liver disease characterised by progressive destruction of the small bile ducts within the parenchyma of the liver resulting in duct fibrosis and destruction
What can some people develop if Primary Biliary Cirrhosis goes untreated
Can progress to secondary cirrhosis of the liver and associated liver failure
Or secondary Sjögren’s Syndrome;
When do patients usually develop Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
Middle age 50
Are men more likely to develop Primary Biliary Cirrhosis or women
Women (9:1 ratio)
What is the only effective intervention of more likely to develop Primary Biliary Cirrhosis
Liver transplantation but is inly undertaken
What happens in Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis (PSC)?
Progressive fibrosis inflammation of bile ducts within and outside the liver parenchyma
What happens if Primary Sclerosing Cholangitis is left untreated
Ultimately cirrhosis develops and liver translation may be necessary