Exam 5 Flashcards
(385 cards)
What is Cirrhosis?
Cirrhosis is extensive scarring of the liver, usually caused by a chronic reaction to hepatic inflammation and necrosis.
Complications depend on the amount of damage sustained by the liver.
In compensated cirrhosis, the liver has significant scarring but performs essential functions without causing significant symptoms.
Complications of Cirrhosis
- Portal hypertension
- Ascites
- Bleeding esophageal varices
- Coagulation defects
- Jaundice (Table 61-1)
- Portal-systemic encephalopathy with hepatic coma (Table 61-2)
- Hepatorenal syndrome
- Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis
Known causes of liver disease include?
Alcohol (Laennec’s cirrhosis) Viral hepatitis Autoimmune hepatitis Steatohepatitis Drugs and toxins Biliary disease Metabolic /genetic causes Cardiovascular disease
In early stages, signs of liver disease include?
- Fatigue
- Significant change in weight
- GI symptoms
- Abdominal pain and liver *tenderness
- Pruritus
Abdominal assessment in liver disease
Massive ascites (measure abdominal girth)
Umbilicus protrusion
Caput medusae (dilated abdominal veins)
Hepatomegaly (liver enlargement)
Labs to assess in liver disease
- Aminotransferase (AST,ALT)serum levels and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) may be elevated.
- Alkaline phosphatase levels may increase.
- Total serum bilirubin and urobilinogen levels may rise.
- Total serum protein and albumin levels decrease.
Other lab findings in liver disease
- Prothrombin time is prolonged; platelet count is low.
- Hemoglobin and hematocrit values and white blood cell count are decreased.
- Ammonia levels are elevated.
- Serum creatinine level is possibly elevated.
Nursing diagnosis for liver disease
- Excess fluid volume
- Risk for imbalanced nutrition
- Ineffective breathing pattern
- Chronic pain
- Risk for infection
- Ineffective coping
- Sexual dysfunction
- Disturbed body image
What is the most common nursing diagnosis for liver disease?
Excess fluid volume
Interventions for liver disease
Interventions:
Nutrition therapy consists of low sodium diet, limited fluid intake, vitamin supplements.
Drug therapy includes a diuretic, electrolyte replacement.
Paracentesis is the insertion of a trocar catheter into the abdomen to remove and drain ascitic fluid from the peritoneal cavity.
Observe for possibility of impending shock.
Comfort measures for liver disease
For dyspnea, elevate the head of the bed at least 30 degrees, or as high as the patient wishes to help minimize shortness of breath.
Patient is encouraged to sit in a chair.
Weigh patient in standing position, because supine position can aggravate dyspnea.
Surgical interventions for liver disease
Peritoneovenous shunt
Portocaval shunt
Transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIP) –nonsurgical
Potential for hemorrhage for liver disease
Screen for esophageal varices
Drug therapy–nonselective beta blocker to decrease heart rate/pressure gradient
Managing hemorrhage
- Blood transfusions
- Esophagogastric balloon tamponade
- Vasoactive therapy (Octreotide)
- Endoscopic procedures: *Endoscopic variceal ligation (EVL-banding) & Endoscopic sclerotherapy (EST)
- Transjugular intrahepatic portal-systemic shunt (TIP)
Potential for Portal-Systemic Encephalopathy
Interventions include:
- Ammonia & toxic metabolic by-products can not be converted by liver to less toxic form
- Need to reduce ammonia levels
- Nutrition therapy: moderate protein/fat & simple carbohydrates
*Monitor bleeding: intestinal bacteria metabolize blood cells that increase ammonia
*Drug therapy:
Lactulose
Neomycin sulfate
Metronidazole
*Check for asterixis (liver flap) &fector hepaticus
What is Hepatitis?
*Inflammation of the liver
Viral hepatitis
*Most common cause (Hepatitis A,B,C,D,E) Other possible causes Drugs (alcohol) Chemicals Autoimmune liver disease Bacteria (rarely)
(Cytomegalovirus Epstein-Barr virus Herpes virus Coxsackievirus Rubella virus)
Hepatitis A
- 61,000 cases of hepatitis A occur annually in the United States
- Rates declined 89% since vaccine available in 1995
- 1.4 million cases of hepatitis A occur annually worldwide
- Nearly universal during childhood in developing countries
Hepatitis A virus
Hepatitis A virus (HAV)
Transmitted fecal–oral route, oral-anal sexual activity, parenteral (rarely)
Frequently occurs in small outbreaks
Found in feces 2 or more weeks before the onset of symptoms and up to 1 week after the onset of jaundice
Present in blood briefly
No chronic carrier state
Hepatitis A causes
Similar to that of a typical viral syndrome; often goes unrecognized
- Spread via the fecal-oral route by oral ingestion of fecal contaminants
- Contaminated water, shellfish from contaminated water, food contaminated by handlers infected with hepatitis A
- Also spread by oral-anal sexual activity
- Incubation period for hepatitis A is 15 to 50 days.
- Disease is usually not life threatening.
- Disease may be more severe in individuals older than 40 years.
- Many people who have hepatitis A do not know it; symptoms are similar to a GI illness.
Hepatitis B
- Nearly 400 million people chronically infected with hepatitis B
- 50% to 75% active viral replication
- 73,000 new cases of hepatitis B annually in United States
- 1.4 million Americans chronically infected
- Incidence of new infections decreased due to HBV vaccine
How is Hep B transmitted?
- Transmitted when infected blood or other body fluids enter the body of a person who is not immune to the virus
- Spread is via unprotected sexual intercourse with an infected partner, sharing needles (IV drug use), accidental needle sticks, blood transfusions (before 1992), hemodialysis, perinatal, maternal-fetal route.
Symptoms of Hep B
Symptoms occur in 25 to 180 days after exposure; symptoms include anorexia, nausea and vomiting, fever, fatigue, right upper quadrant pain, dark urine, light stool, joint pain, and jaundice.
Hep C
- 170 million people are infected with the hepatitis C virus (HCV)
- 30,000 new cases diagnosed annually
8,000 to 10,000 people in the U.S. die each year from complications of end-stage liver disease secondary to HCV
*Approximately 30% to 40% of HIV-infected patients also have HCV
What are some risk factors for Hep C?
Risk factors IV drug use Hemodialysis Blood products Occupational exposure High-risk sexual behavior Perinatal transmission is rare