Liver disease Flashcards
What happens in cirrhosis?
- liver gets small and shrunken
- reduced liver blood flow, reduced metabolic function and reduced plasma proteins
What is happening if the oral dose of a drug is much higher than the IV dose?
first-pass metabolism in the liver
How is alcohol metbaolised?
by first-order until a set point then it is by zero order
What happens in liver disease with RAS?
there is an increase in renin
there is a decrease in the metabolism of aldosterone so there is secondary aldosteronism
What can happen to the kidneys in liver disease?
- too much angiotensin 2 (vasoconstrictor), aldosterone, SNS and ADH
- there is potassium loss, sodium retention and water retention
What are the consequences of moderate hepatic impairment?
gut oedema, liver and kidney congestion, gross oedema and ascites and CHF
Why are NSAIDs not used in liver disease?
- get rid of renal prostaglandins
- so harm kidneys and cause ulcers and bleeding
- increase blood pressure
What must always be prescribed with an NSAID?
a PPI
What is the summary of drug metabolism?
- phase 1 is P450 biotransformation
oxidation, reduction and hydrolysis
- phase two is conjugation
How can paracetamol be dangerous?
can make a dangerous substance which is removed by out glutathione stores
What is the rule used to assess drug-induced liver disease severity?
Hy’s Rule
- uses ALT/AST and Bilirubin as parameters
What is the diuretic used in liver disease and how is this administered?
- Spironolactone as it removes secondary aldosteronism
- 1kg/day weight loss of fluid is ideal
What is given to sedate patients with liver disease?
Phase 2 metabolised benzodiazepines eg Lorazepam
What are the features of Hep A?
- faecal-oral spread
- common in gay and IVDUs
- acute not chronic
- peak is in older children and young adults
- confirmed by presence of IgM against Hep A
- vaccine available
- mild illness will usual full recovery
What are the features of Hep B?
- sex, mother to child or by blood
- chronic only if first exposure is in childhood
- adults usually get acute
- confirmed by presence of Hep B surface antigen (HBsAg)
- carriers possible
- antiviral therapy to those with liver inflammation and a high level of Hep B DNA
- treat with vaccine, suppressive antivirals or peginterferon
What are the risk factors for Hep B?
- people who live in affected areas
- have multiple sexual partners
- IVDUs
- children of infected mothers
What are the features of Hep C?
- no vaccine
- transmission is blood or sex
- test for antibody to virus then test for RNA by PCR
- usually chronic
What are the features of Hep D?
only found with Hep B
makes acute or chronic Hep B worse
What are the features of Hep E?
Common in the tropics
Faecal-oral spread
More common than A
Caught from pigs
Genotypes in the tropics cause disease in pregnant women
No vaccine is available
Only chronic infection if there is an abnormal immune system
When is a viral infection classed as chronic?
over 6 months
Which Hep can spontaneously resolve?
Hep B not Hep C
What is the management of acute viral Hep?
monitoring for encephalopathy, resolution and vaccinate those at risk
What is the management of chronic viral Hep?
antivirals, vaccination, infection control, alcohol cessation and awareness and screening for hepatocellular carcinoma
Who is treated with antivirals?
- chronic infection
- inflammation is seen
- if fit for treatment
- HIV co-infection is difficult
What are the common antiviral and their sideffects?
- infterferon alpha
- peginterferon (flu symptoms)
- ribavirin (anaemia)
- sofosbuvir is active against all genotypes