Hepatic encephalopathy

Authors

  • Mª Ángeles Castro López SERGAS

Keywords:

Encephalopathy, Nursing,, Care Process

Abstract

It is a worsening of brain function that occurs when the liver is no longer able to eliminate or transform toxic substances in the blood (produced by the body or medications) and render them harmless. When the liver is damaged, these substances can accumulate in the bloodstream. Ammonia (a product of protein digestion) is one of the substances that the liver normally converts into a non-toxic form. This condition is most commonly found in individuals with chronic liver disease (cirrhosis or hepatitis). The usual clinical presentation is a cognitive-behavioral deterioration that manifests in early stages as drowsiness, bradipsychia, bradylalia, and disruption of the sleep-wake pattern.

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References

Cuidados de Enfermería. Editorial McGraw-Hill Interamericana. 2000

Principios de Medicina Interna Harrison. Editorial McGraw-Hill. 2002

Trastornos gastrointestinales. Editorial Mosby-Doyma Libros SA. 1995

www.medlineplus.com

Published

2025-09-06

How to Cite

Castro López, M. Ángeles. (2025). Hepatic encephalopathy. Revista Enfermeir@s, 2(21), 20–22. Retrieved from https://www.enfermerialugo.org/revista/index.php/enfermeiraos/article/view/263