Liver Flashcards
Where is the liver located?
Right upper qaudrant of the abdomen
How many lobes are in the liver
2
What are the lobes of the liver made up of?
Lobules
Describe the lobules
centered on a branch of the hepatic vein
inerconnected by small ducts
What is the portal triad?
at corners of adjacent lobules; branches of bile duct, portal vein, and hepatic artery
What are hepatocytes separated by?
sinusoids
What does the hepatic duct do?
transports bile produced by liver cells to the gallblader and duodenum
What % of liver tissue needs to be destroyed before the body is unable to eliminate drugs and toxins?
~70%
Can liver cells regenerate?
Yes
what % of CO does the liver take?
~25%
What kind of blood supply does the liver have?
a dual lood supply; venous flow in from portal vein, arterial flow in from hepatic artery
What does the venous flow from the portal vein do?
blood comes from small intestine directly to liver, pancreatic venous drainage
What does the arterial flow from the hepatic artery do?
oxygenates the liver
What does the venous flow out through the hepatic vein do?
mixes blood from portal vein and hepatic artery in sinusoids and exits liver
Major functions of the liver?
Excretion
Metbolism
Storage
Synthesis
What does the gallbladder do?
stores and concentrates bile
What does bile do?
emulsification of dietary fat, cholesterol, and vitamins
elimination of waste: excess cholesterol, xenobiotics, bilirubin
What % of bile acids are reabsorbed due to enterohepatic recirculation?
95%
How is bilirubin metabolized?
Glucuronidated in liver and excreted in bile
What is indirect bilirubin?
bilirubin bound to albumin
What is direct bilirubin?
bilirubin glucuronidated in liver
What parameters are needed for the reversal of liver damage?
That there isnt destuction of the liver’s capacity to regenerate
What is the pattern of hepatocellular injury?
necrosis –> degeneration -> inflammation –> regeneration or
necrosis –> degeneration -> inflammation –>fibrosis –> cirrhosis
What can cause hepatic injury?
viruses
Drugs
Environmental toxins
Alcohol
What are the 2 main types of hepatic injury?
cholestasis
Hepatocellular
Define cholestasis
a failure of normal amounts of bile to reach the duodenum leading to accumulation of bile in liver cells and biliary passages.
What causes cholestasis?
Gall stones (cholelithiasis) - most common
tumor
viral hepatitis
alcohol-related liver disease
drugs
primary biliary cholangitis
primary sclerosing cholangitis
What is priamry biliary cholangitis?
slow, immune-mediated destruction of small bile ducts within the liver
What is the leading cause of liver transplant for women in Canada?
Primary biliary cholangitis
What is primary sclerosing cholangitis?
progressive inflammation and fibrosis affecting any part of the biliary tree
Leads to progressive destruction of bile ducts
Commonly associated with IBD
Cholestatic syndrome symptoms?
Pruritis
Jaundice
Dark Urine
Light coloured stools
Steatorrhea
Xanthoma and xanthelasma
Hepatomegaly
What is ursodiol used for?
Management of cholelithiasis
How does ursodiol work?
unknown MOA but, gradualy dissolves stones in 30-40% of pts
What drug can be used alternatively to ursodiol in PBC?
Obeticholic acid
Does ursodiol prevent progression of PSC?
Limited efficacy
Treatment of pruritis?
Cholestyramine (benefits seen in 90% of pts must be used as long as pruritis is present)
Antihistamines: hydroxyzine; no proven benefit but, their sedative propeties may help
Naltrexone, rifampin or sertraline: may be tried if refractory
Describe hepatocellular damage.
Direct damage to hepatocytes, can be acute or chronic
Causes of hepatocellular damage?
Toxic agents: alcohol, drugs, toxins
Infections (hepatitis)
Longstanding cholestasis
Ischemic injury (thrombosis)
other diseases (autoimmune, iron overload)
what happens when hepatocytes are destroyed?
Contents of cell are released into the circulation, can compromise function of liver.
Liver enzyme increases that indicate cholestatic injury?
ALP and GGT
Liver enzyme increases that indicate hepatocellular injury?
AST and ALT
LDH to LDH5 but very nonspecific
What happens to albumin level after a sustained assault on the liver?
Reduced
What tests the synthetic capability of the liver?
Albumin Levels
Bilirubin retention signs?
Yellow tinge to skin, dark urine, pale stools
What happens to prothrombin time if the liver is damaged?
Increases
Big 7 lab tests liver?
AST
ALT
ALP
GGT
Bilirubin
Albumin
INR/PTT
Cirrhosis?
Fibrosis and nodular formation of liver
What is ALD?
Alcohol-related liver disease
NAFLD?
non-alcoholic fatty liver disease
MASH?
metabolic dysfunction associated steatohepatitis
NASH?
non-alcoholic steatohepatitis
MASLD?
metabolic disfunction-assocaited steatotic liver disease
MeALD?
MASLD and increased alcohol intake
Alcohol recomendations (2023)
low risk: <= 2 drinks/week
Moderate risk: 3-6 drinks/week
High risk: > 6 drinks/week
Tests done to diagnose cirrhosis?
biochemical markers
AST to platlet ratio index
Abdominal ultrasound
elastography
Liver biopsy(rare)
Compensated cirrhosis characteristics?
body function well despite scaring
may be asymptomatic
anorexia, wt loss, wekaness, NV, GI upset, muscle wasting
Decompensated cirrhosis characteristics?
severe scarring and disrupted function
confusion, edema, fatigue, bleeding
Abnormal INR, albumin, bilirubin
Signs of portal HTN, ascites, varices, encephalopathy
what occurs if blood flow is obstructed in the liver?
portal HTN
Describe the portal system?
self-contained, low pressure venous system
What can cause portal HTN?
splanchnic dilation
increased NO
RAAS activation
what happens to the blood flow in portal HTN?
increased resistance to portal flow, increased portal venous inflow
backflow of blood widens the venous channels
portal HTN causing Splenomegaly? symptoms?
Enlargement of spleen, uncomfortable/painful
- increased sequestering and destruction of RBCs
- anemia (Very common in cirrhosis)
- thrombocytopenia
Consequences of protal to systemic shunting?
metabolites and toxins not processed by liver
increased sensitivity to noxious substances
malabsorption of fat in the stool
decreased bile flow
Contributes to complications like ascites, varices, hepatorenal syndrome
What is ascites?
collection of fluid in peritoneal cavity
How can ascites form?
hydrostatic pressure
hypoalbuminemia (reduced oncotic pressure)
RAAS activation –> salt and water retention
What should acites patients be evaluated for?
liver transplant b/c poor prognosis
what is SAAG?
serum-ascites albumin gradient
what does a SAAG of >11g/L indicate?
portal HTN
Is ascites responsive to diureses?
typically no
SAAG of >25g/L indication?
cardiac dysfunction
Treatment for ascites?
Salt restriction of 2g/day
Spironolactone + furosemide (usually)
Large volume paracentesis, TIPS, or transplant
what is sometimes given with paracentesis to help maintain oncotic pressure?
albumin
Risks of paracentesis?
abdominal perforation
INFECTION!!!!!!
What is TIPS?
transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt;
stent to bypass liver to decrease portal pressure
When is fluid restriction recommended in ascites?
if Na is <120-125 mEq/L
Cure for ascites?
transplant only
Spironolactone dosing and MOA? for ascites
100mg max 400mg
inhibition of aldosterone
Onset 3-5 days
Spironolactone monitoring?
hyperkalemia!!!!
dehydration (not common in monotherapy though)
Gynecomastia + other estrogen-like SE’s
Can increase digoxin levels
Furosemide dosing and MOA? for ascites
40mg OD Max: 160mg
loop-diuretic
Cautions with furosemide use in ascites?
over diuresis
hypovolemia
Combo dosing titration of spironolactone and furosemide
100:40 to max of 400:160 mg
Major important monitoring for ascites diuretic therapy?
K, Na, SCr, wt, BP
What is refractory ascites?
unresponsive to Na restriction and high dose diuretics , reoccurence is rapid after paracentesis
Treatment of refractory ascites?
serial therapeutic paracentesis +/- albumin
TIPS
Transplant
What should be avoided in refractory ascites?
NSAIDs
What is the goal of a pts wt with ascites therapy?
gradual wt loss; ~05kg/d if no edema (higher with edema)
assumption is that 1 kg body wt = 1L of fluid
What to do if urinary Na is low? high?
Low: more diuresis
High: check for non-adherence to low Na diet
What other treatment should be consider w/ ascites?
SBP prophylaxis treatment
What is spontaneous bacterial peritonitis? cause?
infection in ascitic fluid without obvious cause
bacteria translocation from gut to blood stream
Symptoms of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis?
fever, chills, abdominal pain –> can be asymptomatic
3 most common pathogens for spontaneous bacterial peritonitis?
E. coli
Kleb pneumoniae
Strep pneumoniae
Diagnosis of spontaneous bacterial peritonitis?
daignostic paracentesis
Treatment of community acquired SBP?
Cefotaxime or ceftriaxone x 5 d
Treatment of nosocomial acquired SBP?
Piperacillin/tazobactam
meropenem +/- vancomycin
Albumin infusions if needed
when should a second ascitic fluid collection be done? why?
q48h after intitation of therapy
Decrease in PMN count by 25% to ensure clincal response
Prophylaxis drugs for SBP?
norfloxacin, septra, cipro
What is hepatorenal syndrome?
renal failure in pts with severe liver disease
Characterization of hepatorenal syndrome?
sever vasoconstriction of renal circulation
Is the identifiable pathological changes in the kidneys in hepatorenal syndrome?
No
When is hepatorenal system more often seen?
in pts with massive, tense ascites
What to do for hepatorenal syndrome?
STOP diuretics, nephrotoxic drugs
Transplant; usually see improvement with transplant
What occures for vaices to form?
high pressure in portal vein causing bypasses or shunts that causes small veins to become engorged with an excess of blood