what is hepatic encephalopathy and is it bad?

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My dad come home today and told me he got hepatic encephalopathy. I don't have a clue what that is, so can someone please tell me!!!!
You should ask your dad and see what the doctor told him. Hepatic encephalopathy is one of the symptoms of end stage liver disease. ESLD can be caused by several things, most commonly from alcoholism and/ or viral hepatitis infection like hepatitis C or B. Basically, after the liver becomes damaged over a period of time, it fails to do one of it's jobs; mainly filtering toxins out of the blood. These toxins (which are waste products from the food we eat) build up in the blood stream and cause high ammonia levels in the blood. This ammonia affects the brain's ability to think clearly. This can be treated temporarily with laxatives like lactulose which helps the body to get rid of some of these toxins. Eating a lower protein diet can help decrease some of the symptoms. Hope this helps.  (+ info)

what happens if you have hepatic encephalopathy and do not have a liver transplant?

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A friend is in the ICU for the third time in the last 2 months on dialysis 24/7 and is not a candidate for transplant (open wound) Anyone know what happens without a transplant?
Worried.
It really depends on how bad it is. But, eventually, if your friend doesn't get one, he'll die.  (+ info)

if you have hepatic encephalopathy can you still manage to drink liquor?

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if so, what will be more dominant your encephalopathy or withdrawal symptoms?
Nope! Unless you wanna cause more damage to yourself.  (+ info)

My mother is 80 years old with she has been diagnosed with stage 3 Hepatic encephalopathy, how long can u live

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I can not get an answer for this! I just need to know how long does the average person live with stage 3? The docs keep giving medicine to help with ammonia levels, but my brothers and sisters have no idea if this could go years or months? Any help at all would be so wonderful.
The real question you need to ask the docs, is if this condition is reversible? Because it really depends on what is causing the Stage 3 Hepatic Encephalopathy; without knowing the cause, I can't give you an estimation.

If this is not reversible and they are just trying to keep it from getting worse, I hate to say this, but I think its time for your family to discuss what your mother would really want. Would she want to keep going this way?

Some doctors have a hard time allowing patients to die; they feel like they must do everything to prolong life. Make sure your doctor is able to talk about this with you, and what his/her philosophy is on this.  (+ info)

Has anyone been around a person with Hepatic Encephalopathy?

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My dad is in liver failure from Hep C and he went into the hospital in August and was in a coma for over a week, we were told that 90% of his brain was dead tissue and that we should consider pulling the plug. He would never wake up. He had a TIPPS shunt put into his liver to stop the bleeding and they told us that it would make him foggy from a build up of amonia in his system, but that it wouldn't happen for awhile. After he woke up he wasn't the same person, he can't remember things, he forgot my moms name and they have been married over 30 years, and he has a short temper and some days he is so foggy that he doesn't know whats up or down. He is on a lot of different meds to keep the amonia levels down but even on good days he isn't the person I knew. He used to be very independent but know he requires constant supervision. My question is to anyone out there that has been through this, Does it get better after the transplant or will he be foggy forever?
Yes, I am on the board of a 501c3 hepatitis & liver disease organization and have worked with many people with hepatic encephalopathy. I'm glad to hear your dad is on a transplant list. When he gets a new liver, this will go away. I know several people who were blessed enough to get a new liver, and all of them are living a renewed life. In fact, they have so much energy they run rings around me and many others! With a transplant, your dad's new liver will be able to filter & process the foods he eats. Right now, the protein he eats isn't able to be broken down, thus causing the ammonia build up. That will change post transplant.
Best wishes to you and your dad.  (+ info)

Does hepatic encephalopathy cause short term memory loss the higher the ammonia level goes?

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It depends on if you are talking about an acute or chronic state. Acute hepatic encephalopathy may be reversible, while chronic forms of the disorder are often progressive. Both forms may result in irreversible, memory loss, brian damage, coma and death, with approximately 80% fatality if coma develops. Recovery and recurrence are variable. Short term memory loss is not usually seen in an acute state of encephalopathy assuming the underlying cause was effectively treated and resolved.  (+ info)

what may be the cause for hepatic encephalopathy in female ?

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not alcoholic
Acetaminophen or Tylenol, or other liver damaging and fatty producing medication's side effects.  (+ info)

Has anyone here had hepatic encephalopathy?

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Hallucinations from liver failure?
Portal-systemic encephalopathy is a neuropsychiatric syndrome. It most often results from high gut protein or acute metabolic stress (eg, GI bleeding, infection, electrolyte abnormality) in a patient with portal-systemic shunting. Symptoms are mainly neuropsychiatric (eg, confusion, flapping tremor, coma). Diagnosis is based on clinical findings. Treatment usually is correction of the acute cause, restriction of dietary protein, and oral lactulose.
Portal-systemic shunting also known as a liver shunt, is a bypass of the liver by the body's circulatory system. Ammonia is produced while digesting protein in the intestine. In a normal person, the ammonia is neutralized in the liver. If a person having liver failure, the ammonia is transported to the brain bypassing the liver causing encephalopathy. To avoid this condition, dietary protein is restricted.  (+ info)

how long can a person live with hepatic encephalopathy?

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Acute hepatic encephalopathy may be reversible, while chronic forms of the disorder are often progressive. Both forms may result in irreversible coma and death, with approximately 80% fatality if coma develops. Recovery and recurrence are variable.
Without liver transplantation the 1-year survival is only 40%.
If the cause can be corrected in time, the outcome can be favorable.
Good Luck.  (+ info)

Any Dr.of gastroenteritis or repeatability.Iknow someone with stage 0 sub-clinical hepatic encephalopathy?

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Lack of detectable changes in personality or behavior.Minimal changes in memory,concentration,intellectual function,and coordination.Asterixis is absent.What,if known is this Diseases Mortality rate in years ?
Hepatic encephalopathy isn't a disease per se, but a complication of liver disease. When the liver can't clear amonia from the body effectively, it backs up into the brain. There are meds (lactulose, enulose) that can help clear the amonia level. Although these drugs may not be prescribed at the sub-clinical stage.

Sub-clinical encephalopathy isn't really a problem. Sub-clinical means it's not symptomatic. Many people with liver disease live with sub-clinical encephalopathy.

When the liver disease is under control, the encephalopathy will resolve. When the liver disease worsens, the encephalopathy can return, and can progress from subclinical to coma (with several stages in between).

The encephalopahy itself doesn't cause mortality, the underlying disease does. And this can be any one of many different diseases, each with it's own progression and prognosis.  (+ info)

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