SHM's Clinical Quick Talks-An Overview of Hepatic Encephalopathy

Pdf Summary

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common complication of advanced liver disease, affecting patients with cirrhosis, acute liver failure, or chronic disease. Symptoms include confusion, personality changes, and altered mental tasks, potentially leading to a coma or death if untreated. HE is categorized into Types A-C based on the underlying causes such as acute liver failure, porto-systemic shunting, or cirrhosis.<br /><br />The management of HE involves identifying and treating underlying factors like infections or gastrointestinal bleeds. First-line treatment includes lactulose, with rifaximin used as a second-line option if needed. Patients may also benefit from therapies like IV L-ornithine L-aspartate or oral BCAAs. Clinicians should consider protein and calorie intake, closely monitor patients with TIPS procedures, and acknowledge that a liver transplant is the only definitive treatment for HE.<br /><br />Diagnostic tools like the psychometric hepatic encephalopathy score (PHES) help in assessing early signs of HE, with the West Haven Criteria used to stage the severity of the condition. Recommendations include prophylactic lactulose or rifaximin to prevent symptom recurrence. Ongoing research is exploring additional therapies like zinc supplementation as an add-on to standard treatments. It is crucial for healthcare providers to promptly address inciting factors and provide appropriate management to improve outcomes for patients with HE.

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Avneet Singh, Alexander Garcia, Zahra Abidi, Queenzy Jover, Hely Shah

Keywords

Hepatic encephalopathy

Advanced liver disease

Cirrhosis

Acute liver failure

Personality changes

Coma

Lactulose treatment

Rifaximin

Liver transplant

Prophylactic lactulose