Patho Case Study 1

The pathophysiology of alcoholism begins after alcohol the ingestion of alcohol. It is absorbed and unaltered through the stomach and intestines. Next it is distributed throughout the body through the blood and absorbed by all tissues and fluids (Huether, 2012, p. 72). Furthermore, in the liver the alcohol blood content is metabolized into acetaldehyde by the enzymes process of alcohol dehydrogenase (ADH), the microsomal ethanol oxidizing system (MEOS), and catalase (Huether & McCance, 2012). Next, the metabolizing effects the central nervous system (CNS) and exhibits a depressant action. It is first expressed in the subcortical structures of the brain. This has an effect of disorientation of motor skills and intellect. With an increase in blood alcohol concentration, the medullary centers become depressed and as a result affects respiration (Huether & McCance, 2012). In addition, the effects of alcoholism encourage hepatic and gastric changes. The hepatic effect is caused by acetaldehyde, in which, induces inflammation, fatty deposits and enlargement of the liver (Huether & McCance, 2012).

One of these symptoms is jaundice, which is characterized by yellowish skin and eyes because of an inability of the liver to remove bilirubin from the blood. Patient with cirrhosis also suffering from itching, due to deposited bile's products in the skin. This patient also suffers from accumulation of fluid in legs that is called edema. As a result of the blockage of blood flow via the liver, fluid accumulation in abdomen which is worsen by the decrease in protein production. Other symptoms include fatigue, weakness, loss of appetite, weight loss and nausea. As the disease progress, complications may develop ,such as varices that happens with cirrhosis patient when the blood flow through the liver slows, so the blood from intestine go back to the vessels of the stomach and esophagus, these vessels are not meant to carry this much of blood so they dilate (varices), with increasing

Cirrhosis is the eighth leading cause of death in the United States and the thirteenth leading cause of death worldwide.1 Cirrhosis is the irreversible fibrosis of the liver characterized by hepatic architectural distortion secondary to fibrous tissue and the formation of regenerative nodules.2 These anatomical changes cause hepatic vascular resistance and an increase in blood flow leading to portal hypertension. Porto-systemic collaterals develop in order to overcome the increased portal pressure gradient.3 Nitric oxide, an endogenous vasodilator is also released in effort to overcome portal pressure with the expense of causing systemic vasodilation and a decrease in blood pressure. As a result, a marked activation of neurohumoral vasoactive factors occurs in an effort to maintain an effective arterial blood pressure. Hypervolemia, increased cardiac index, decreased systemic vascular resistance, and systemic hypotension are manifestations of portal hypertension.3 Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV), hepatitis C virus (HCV), alcoholism, nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) are all major causes of cirrhosis.

The foundation for a Drug Free World (2017) outlines the effects of binge drinking for an individual, including drowsiness, vomiting, and liver disease. Valley Sleep Centre (2016) suggests that alcohol causes drowsiness, due to alcohol’s sedative effect (substance that relieves anxiety and helps you fall asleep). On the other hand, New Health Advisor (2014) exclaims that vomiting is caused by the excessive consumption of alcohol, and it is the reaction to get rid of the extreme amount of alcohol in the body’s system. Alcoholic cirrhosis, a type of liver disease is considered by Patient (2015) to be when the liver loses its capability to function efficiently, and is caused by around 10 years of heavy

This case study is about Abdul Chidiac, a 51 year old male, married with 4 children. He had a medical history of hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia and cirrhosis with two admissions in the last six months. He is a smoker and drinks beer, 5-6 bottles per day. As Carithers & McClain (2010) explained the patient’s medical history is another indicator of the risk for cirrhosis; the progression to cirrhosis is adaptable and may take time over weeks or many years. Cirrhosis is a liver disease characterized by permanent scarring of the

Hepatic Encephalopathy - when the liver does not efficiently function to cleanse the body of toxins and drugs, the mental state of patients may change dramatically and lead to coma, called Hepatic Encephalopathy. Treatment is directed at reducing the protein in the diet, avoiding sedatives and pain medications, and using laxatives and/or

Additionally, many chronic liver diseases can lead to cirrhosis. For example, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) can lead to cirrhosis and is associated with obesity, hyperlipidemia, metabolic syndrome and type 2 diabetes mellitus. Hereditary metabolic disorders such as hemochromatosis and Wilson disease can also lead to cirrhosis (McCance & Heuther, 2014). It seems the cause of cirrhosis is multifaceted. Additionally, many diseases can lead to cirrhosis and it is understandable why the etiology of cirrhosis has not been parsed out, especially because the cause can differ from a

Cirrhosis is the 12th leading cause of death in the United States. Cirrhosis affects one of the largest organs in the body, the liver. It is a condition that slowly worsens the liver and is unable to function normally due to chronic injury. Cirrhosis consists of four stages with the fourth stage being the most advanced stage of cirrhosis. When healthy liver cells are damaged and replaced by scar tissue (fibrosis) it’s known as a degenerative disease called cirrhosis. Chronic alcoholism is the leading cause of cirrhosis due to excessive drinking of alcohol, which causes the liver to swell. In sequence with alcoholism and hepatitis C, or alone obesity can be a risk factor in developing cirrhosis. Cirrhosis of the liver is a disease that can affect many individuals if the condition is not caught in early stages it can become deadly.

Cirrhosis is a condition of scarring of the liver which is caused when the liver has tried repairing itself following damage. This damage may come from a previous infection, such as from a form of hepatitis (usually hepatitis C) or damage done by the use of toxins, such as alcohol. Cirrhosis is irreversible but future damage can be slowed or prevented by treating the underlying cause.

Alcohol abuse and hepatitis B and C are the most common causes of cirrhosis. Cirrhosis can cause weakness, loss of appetite, jaundice, itching, and fatigue, and can be diagnosed by blood tests, physical examinations, and a liver biopsy. There are many complications of cirrhosis, such as edema and ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatic encephalopathy, portal vein hypertension, hepatorenal and hepatopulmonary syndrome, hypersplenism, and liver cancer. One of the most common treatments of cirrhosis is a liver transplant. However, alcoholics have to be sober for six months to prove that they are serious about taking care of their new liver and staying sober after the

Cirrhosis is a chronic and irreversible disease that causes cell destruction and fibrosis of the hepatic tissues. This scared tissue formation alters normal liver structure and vasculature that impairs blood and lymph flow. Ultimately resulting in hepatic insufficiency and hypertension in the portal vein. Three major forms of cirrhosis of the liver are Laennec’s cirrhosis, post necrotic cirrhosis, and biliary cirrhosis. Laennec’s cirrhosis results from malnutrition and chronic alcohol consumption. It is also the most common form of cirrhosis. Post necrotic cirrhosis results from drug induced massive hepatic necrosis and biliary cirrhosis consists of chronic bile obstruction. Cirrhosis is more prevalent among malnourished older adult men over

Liver cirrhosis is a problem that can be caused by many liver diseases. It is a progressive disease itself, developing slowly over many years. It is characterized as scarring to the normal liver tissue which keeps this organ from working as it should and causes it to take on an abnormal structure. The diseases that lead to cirrhosis injure and kill liver cells. Scar tissue that has formed due to inflammation and repair, prevents the cells that have not died to properly replace the dead cells which result in newly formed cell clusters forming within the scar tissue.

Portal hypertension is abnormal high blood pressure in the hepatic portal system. The Hepatic venous system is a significant role of supplying blood to the liver. The portal vein carries blood from the intestine, stomach, spleen, pancreas, and gallbladder and coursing through the liver. If the vessels in the liver are blocked due to hepatocellular diseases, blood cannot flow throughout the liver properly. As a result, the blood in the portal vein slows down and increases hepatic resistance. High resistance causes pressure increased, resulting in varices or dilation of the vessels.Normally, the portal venous pressure should not above 10 mmHg or the hepatic venous gradient is not more than 5 mmHg. If one of them is detected, that is a positive

Alcohol has no beneficial attributes on a person’s health. Alcohol can have several harmful effects on human organs. Some organs in the human body that are damaged by alcohol consumption are the brain, kidneys, and liver. The human liver is the one organ that suffers the most damage. As stated in an article published by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, “Because the liver is the chief organ responsible for metabolizing alcohol, it is especially vulnerable to alcohol – related injury” (NIAAA, 2005). Regular use of alcohol can lead to alcoholic liver disease (ALD). The severity of ALD can vary based on several different factors. Some of these factors include gender, age, the amount consumed, and how often alcohol is used. “ALD includes three conditions: fatty liver, alcoholic hepatitis and cirrhosis” (Alcohol Alert, 2005).

Liver failure is the acute failure of the liver to perform its body function. Proteins that allow the blood to clot are not produced so the patient bruises and bleeds easily. A viscous fluid will sometimes collect