Hepatitis, cirrhosis, liver metastases Flashcards
What is meant by hepatitis?
Inflammation of hepatocytes of liver
How does hepatitis affect the liver itself?
Damaged hepatocytes
reduced liver function
What are the consequences of reduced liver function?
Increases susceptibility to infections
Increased susceptibility to drugs and toxins
Increased blood ammonia
What type of infections is a patient with reduced liver function more susceptible to?
Bacterial
Fungal
Why does a patient with reduced liver function have increased susceptibility to drugs and toxins?
Reduced metabolism of drugs and toxins by liver
Why does a patient with reduced liver function have increased blood ammonia?
Disturbed urea cycle
What is a consequence of increased blood ammonia?
Hepatic encephalopathy
What is hepatic encephalopathy?
Reduced consciousness due to high levels of ammonia in the blood which is due to reduced liver function
What normally produces ammonia in the body?
Colonic bacteria deaminating amino acids
What are the signs and symptoms of hepatitis?
Fever
RUQ pain
Moderate jaundice
Dark urine
Anorexia
What are the abnormal LFT results with hepatitis?
High conjugated bilirubin in the blood
high unconjugated bilirubin in the blood
High ALT
What is cirrhosis?
Fibrosis of the liver
What does a cirrhotic liver look like?
Shrunken
Nodular
What are the causes of cirrhosis?
Viral hepatitis
Chronic excessive alcohol consumption
Fatty liver disease
What are the causes of hepatitis?
Viral
Acute excessive alcohol consumption
Fatty liver
Drugs, toxins