liver failure lecture bit

Question 1

liver failure

Answer 1

more hepatocytes destroyed than regenerated

Question 2

causes

Answer 2

apoptosis (paracetamol), necrosis (ischaemia)

Question 3

clinical result

Answer 3

catastrophic illness leading rapidly to coma/death due to multi-organ failure

Question 4

fulminant

Answer 4

normal, then huge decrease rapidly (paracetamol overdose vs viral Hep); chronic over years

Question 5

other causes of acute liver failure

Answer 5

diseases of pregnancy, idiosyncratic drug reactions, vascular diseases, metabolic causes

Question 6

result of liver failure

Answer 6

encephalopathy (confusion) and cerebral oedema (high ammonia); hypoglycaemia; coagulopathy and bleeding; increased susceptibility to infection; circulatory collapse (not making albumin), renal failure (less perfusion)

Question 7

severe cases of liver failure

Answer 7

liver transplant - not always available and may not work; huge operation and immunosuppresants with sepsis risk