| A | B |
|---|
| Preicteric stage (prodromal) | about a week of flu-like symptoms |
| Icteric | 4-6 weeks more severes sx - jaundice and tender,enlarged liver |
| Posticteric (convalescent) | 2-4 weeks to possibly months; fatigued; LFT's still abnormal |
| ESR | inflammation of the liver would increase this |
| Clotting problems | Because liver damage increases PT and other clotting factors |
| Hepatic encephalopathy | An end sign of liver failure; confusion to coma |
| Reduction of ammonia | One of the few reasons meds would be given to severe liver failure patients |
| Virus | most common cause of hepatitis |
| Standard Precautions | Best way to prevent the spread of hepatitis |
| Fulminant | occuring suddenly and with great severity |
| Potassium and Glucose | These would be reduced in liver failure |
| Loss of glycogen stores | Reason glucose is decreased in liver failure |
| Excretion of this instead of hydrogen ions | Reason potassium is decreased in liver failure |
| Dialysis | May be done if drug toxicity is a cause of liver failure |
| Liver cells replaced by fatty tissue and scar tissue | Reason liver becomes hard and lumpy in chronic liver failure |
| Alcohol intake | Number one cause of chronic liver failure |
| Complications of chronic liver failure | Clotting defects, Hepatorenal syndrome, Hepatic encephalopathy, Ascites, Portal HTN |
| Increased ammonia levels | A primary cause of hepatic encephalopathy |
| Esophageal Varicies | Most seroius complication of chronic liver failure |
| Reason ascites occurs | Liver produces less albumin (a protein) which causes capillaries to leak plasma (liquid) into abdominal cavity |
| Sengstaken-Blakemore tube | Will produce tamponade (direct pressure) for esophageal varicies |
| Treatment for hepatic encephalopathy | Enemas with neomycin or lactulose, dialysis, restriction of dietary protein |
| Cholelithiasis | gallstones |
| Cholecystitis | Inflammed or infected gallbladder |
| 5 F's | Fair, Fat, Forty, Fertile, Female |
| Reasoning for 5 F's | Tells us who is most likely to get gallstones |
| Reason gallstones are formed | Too much cholesterol in diet and/or increased bilirubin due to liver problems, not enough bile salts, GB does not empty properly |
| Pain of GB attack if not in abdomen | Back or below right shoulder blade |
| ERCP | Diagnostic procedure to detect gallstones; scope inserted, cath inserted through scope, dye injected, x-rays taken |
| Most common cause of pancreatitis | Gallstones |
| Second most common cause of pancreatitis | Alcohol abuse |
| Other causes of pancreatitis besides the first and second most common causes | Trauma, kidney failure, autoimmune disorders, sting from a scorpion |
| Top three common symptoms of pancreatitis | Pain, nausea, vomiting |
| What meds could be prescribed for pancreatitis | Enzyme supplements, insulin, meds to decrease gastric acid production, analgesics, ATB's |
| Long term complications from pancreatitis | DM, chronic pain, pancreatic cancer |
