Liver 3 Flashcards
what is advice on alcohol limit?
less than 14 units a week spread over at least 3 days with alcohol free days present
and not drinking more than 5 units a day
2 screening tools for alcohol excess?
CAGE
AUDIt
4 questions asked in CAGE questionairre?
C - have you ever felt like you should CUT down how much alcohol you drink
A - have people ANNOYED you by criticising your drinking consumption
G - do you ever feel GUILTY about your drinking
E - Have you ever had a drink in the morning to get rid of your hangover
triad of WERNICKES ENCEPHALOPATHY
& cause
- ataxia
- confusion
- ophthalmoplegia
thiamine deficiency
what can Wernickes encephalopathy develop into?
Korsakoff’s syndrome
signs of alcohol withdrawal
- seizure
- anxiety
- N&V
- headaches
- tremor
- extreme sweating
- agitation
- hallucinations
when does delerium tremens typically present?
1-2 days post alcohol cessation
cause of Wernickes encephalopathy
thiamine deficiency
effect of chronic alcohol on receptors in the brain?
enhancement of GABA medicated inhibition in CNS & inhibition of NDMA type glutamate receptors
3 types of therapy for alcohol withdrawl
1) CBT
2) self help groups e.g. alcoholics anonymous
3) 12 step facilitation programme
medications that can be given to reduce alcohol cravings (4)
Acamprostate (weak NDMA antagonist)
Disulfiram
Naltrexone
Nalmefene
medication that prevents you from drinking by causing an unpleasant physical reaction if you drink
Disulfiram
2 medications that block opioid receptors to stop effects of alcohol
- Naltrexone
- Nalmefene
what are the 3 steps in progression to of alcholic liver disease?
1) alcohol related fatty liver
2) Alcohol hepatitis
3) Cirrhosis
what does AUDIT questionnaire stand for and what is its purpose?
Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test
developed by WHO to screen for harmful alcohol use
how is reduced synthetic function of the liver seen in blood tests?
low albumin
raised PT
what is FibroScan?
scan used to check elasticity of the liver by sending high frequency sound waves to the liver
symptoms of alcohol withdrawal at 6-12 hours
- tremor
- sweating
- headache
- craving
- anxierty
symptoms of alcohol withdrawal at 12-24 hours
- hallucinations
symptoms of alcohol withdrawal at 24-48 hours
seizures
symptoms of alcohol withdrawal at 24-72 hours
delerium tremens
medication for alcohol withdrawal symptoms
Chlordiazepoxide (Librium) which is a benzodiazipine
&
Pabrinex (IV high dose B vitamins)
Features of Korsakoffs syndrome
- Memory impairment (retrograde&anterograde
- Behavioural changes
multiple complications that patients with alcoholic hepatitis are at risk of
- Hepatic encephalopathy
- Systemic infection (SBI)
- GI bleeding
- Coagulopathy & thrombocytopaenia
- Ascites
- Multi organ failure
4 most common causes of liver cirrhosis
Alcoholic liver disease
Non alcoholic fatty liver disease
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis C
describe spider naevi?
telengiectasia with a central arteriole & small vessels radiating away
score that indicates the severity of cirrhosis
Child-Pugh score for cirrhosis
5 components of Child-Pugh score?
- Bilirubin
- Albumin
- INR
- Ascites
- Encephalopathy
who does SBP Spontaneous bacterial Peritonitis occur in?
patients with ascites secondary to cirrhosis
most common causative organisms for SBP?
- E. coli
- Klebsiella
- Gram positive cocci
medication & mechainsm for Hepatic encephalopathy?
Laxatives (lactulose) - to promote the excretion of ammonia (aiming for 2-3 motions daily)
4 stages of fatty liver disease
1) Non alcoholic fatty liver disease
2) Non alcoholic steatohepatitis
3) Fibrosis
4) Cirrhosis
2 most common causes for acute liver failure requiring liver transplant
- Paracetamol overdose
- Acute viral hepatitis
inherited causes of chronic liver disease (3)
- Alpha 1 antitrypsin deficiency
- Wilson’s disease
- Hereditary haemochromatosis
Biliary causes of chronic liver disease (2)
Primary biliary cirrhosis
Primary sclerosing cholangitis
5 features of decompensated liver cirhosis
- Coagulopathy
- Jaundice
- Encephalopathy
- Ascites
- GI bleeding
why does ascites develop in cirrhotic liver disease?
combination of portal hypertension & loss of oncotic pressure
when do alcohol withdrawal seizures occur?
within 48 hours of alcohol cessation
formula for calculation of units of alcohol
volume (mls) x ABV (%)
divided by 1000