Liver Failure Introduction Liver failure is the incompetence of the liver acting normal metabolic and synthetic function. It divides into acute liver failure, acute-on-chronic liver failure, or chronic decompensation of end-stage hepatic disease. Acute Liver Failure (ALF) -Definition Acute liver failure is an unusual but life-threatening critical illness, which arises without preexisting liver disease and always supervenes high mortality. The 30s adults in good condition are main sufferers of acute liver failure. The clinical features commonly include: abnormal liver biochemical values, hepatic dysfunction and coagulopathy. Encephalopathy may also occur with multiorgan failure, which cause 50% of death.
If the liver is damaged significantly and a liver transplant is denied or a liver is unavailable the death is prominent. Liver disease can be slowed if the person suffering adapts to change and reaches out to local support groups and organizations for additional information and support.
According to the American Liver Foundation, a healthy liver cleans blood, fights infection processes food and stores energy. The liver is able to regenerate itself, but when it becomes too damaged or is prevented from regenerating, it will fail and no longer be able to keep able to keep one alive (2015). Despite its ability to regenerate, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis is the twelfth leading cause of death of death in the United States. My interest in further exploring liver related deaths is the due to the impact that liver disease has had on my family. My young cousin was born with a malignant tumor on her liver and spent the first several years of her life undergoing surgeries and chemotherapy. She survived the treatment and at the age of 4 was free of cancer. At the age of 24 she was told that her liver was beginning the process of failure and she would need to be put on the transplant liver for long-term survival. My grandmother died of cirrhosis of the liver and my father, after 3 years of treatment for melanoma, was diagnosed with liver failure. He had a procedure to prolong the useful life of his liver, but the damage to his liver will not allow his liver to regenerate and it will likely be liver failure which leads to his death.
Hepatic encephalopathy is a brain dysfunction caused by liver insufficiency. It contributes a wide spectrum of neurological or psychiatric abnormalities.
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
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.
Regarding to our case scenario, there were some shred symptoms between the liver disorders and congestive heart failure (CHF) as the fatigue, weakness, chest pain, edema of the lower limb, constipation, abdominal ache, etc. However, CHF’s main symptoms are fatigue while doing activity, shortness of the breath, build up extra fluids in the lower limbs, coughing or sneezing, lack of apatite, nausea,
Cirrhosis is known as a chronic disease of the liver. Cirrhosis usually develops when the scar tissue replaces normal, healthy tissue in the liver. It tends to happen whenever healthy cells are damaged over a long amount of time, usually for many years. However, the scar tissue makes the liver lumpy and hard, after a while, the organs will start to fail and the scar tissue makes it tough for the blood to get through a large vein (the portal vein) that goes into the liver. Occasionally when the blood backs up into the portal vein, it can get into the spleen (an abdominal organ involved in the production and removal of blood cells) and can really cause trouble. What causes this is other liver conditions or diseases the person may already have, which includes an (alcohol-related liver disease) by drinking too much alcohol for many years non-stop. It causes fat and inflammation in the liver. The amount of alcohol that it takes to hurt the liver is different for everyone.
The liver’s job is to break down harmful substances, including alcohol. Excessive drinking can cause alcoholic hepatitis which can lead to the development of jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes). Chronic liver inflammation can lead to severe scarring known as cirrhosis. This formation of scar tissue can destroy the liver. When the liver fails to perform, toxic substances remain in your body. Liver disease is life threatening. Women are at higher risk for alcoholic liver disease than men, because women’s bodies tend to absorb more alcohol and take longer to process
Fulminant hepatic failure is also called "FHF" or acute liver failure. The word "hepatic" refers to the liver; "fulminant" means to strike suddenly. It happens when liver cells are injured and die. These liver cells are replaced by scar tissue instead of normal liver cells; this continues until there are not enough liver cells to do their job. Not only does fulminant hepatic failure interfere with liver function; it also has secondary effects on other organ systems. It can affect the brain, causing encephalopathy within two to twelve weeks.
Hepatitis A is a highly contagious liver infection caused by the hepatitis A virus. Hepatitis A is a form of viral hepatitis transmitted food, causing fever and yellow jaundice.
There is no doubt that hepatitis is one of the most dangerous disease and has its bad and negative effects. At the beginning hepatitis is a medical condition that means injury to the liver with inflammation of the liver cells. Simply hepatitis is a disease that includes any type of inflammation of the liver. It may present in acute or chronic forms. Doctors call the inflammation that lasts less than six months acute hepatitis and inflammation that lasts longer than six months chronic hepatitis.
Hepatitis is the inflammation of the liver caused by a viral infection. Every type of hepatitis has its own causes, symptoms, and treatments. Cosmetologists need to be aware of hepatitis because if everything in their salon is not properly cleaned, sanitized, and disinfected, then they could spread the hepatitis virus to every client that goes through their salon.
Over 350 million of those infected never rid themselves of the infection. Hepatitis is an inflammation of the liver that causes symptoms such as jaundice, extreme fatigue, nausea, vomiting, and stomach pain; hepatitis B is the most serious form of the disease. Chronic infections can cause cirrhosis of the liver or liver cancer in later years.
However, with progression of the liver disease or under physiological or pharmacological strain, the cardiac failure becomes manifest.
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