Acute liver failure (patient information)

For the WikiDoc page for this topic, click here

WikiDoc Resources for Acute liver failure (patient information)
Articles
Most recent articles on Acute liver failure (patient information) Most cited articles on Acute liver failure (patient information) Review articles on Acute liver failure (patient information) Articles on Acute liver failure (patient information) in N Eng J Med, Lancet, BMJ
Media
Powerpoint slides on Acute liver failure (patient information) Images of Acute liver failure (patient information) Photos of Acute liver failure (patient information) Podcasts & MP3s on Acute liver failure (patient information) Videos on Acute liver failure (patient information)
Evidence Based Medicine
Cochrane Collaboration on Acute liver failure (patient information) Bandolier on Acute liver failure (patient information) TRIP on Acute liver failure (patient information)
Clinical Trials
Ongoing Trials on Acute liver failure (patient information) at Clinical Trials.gov Trial results on Acute liver failure (patient information) Clinical Trials on Acute liver failure (patient information) at Google
Guidelines / Policies / Govt
US National Guidelines Clearinghouse on Acute liver failure (patient information) NICE Guidance on Acute liver failure (patient information) NHS PRODIGY Guidance FDA on Acute liver failure (patient information) CDC on Acute liver failure (patient information)
Books
Books on Acute liver failure (patient information)
News
Acute liver failure (patient information) in the news Be alerted to news on Acute liver failure (patient information) News trends on Acute liver failure (patient information)
Commentary
Blogs on Acute liver failure (patient information)
Definitions
Definitions of Acute liver failure (patient information)
Patient Resources / Community
Patient resources on Acute liver failure (patient information) Discussion groups on Acute liver failure (patient information) Patient Handouts on Acute liver failure (patient information) Directions to Hospitals Treating Acute liver failure (patient information) Risk calculators and risk factors for Acute liver failure (patient information)
Healthcare Provider Resources
Symptoms of Acute liver failure (patient information) Causes & Risk Factors for Acute liver failure (patient information) Diagnostic studies for Acute liver failure (patient information) Treatment of Acute liver failure (patient information)
Continuing Medical Education (CME)
CME Programs on Acute liver failure (patient information)
International
Acute liver failure (patient information) en Espanol Acute liver failure (patient information) en Francais
Business
Acute liver failure (patient information) in the Marketplace Patents on Acute liver failure (patient information)
Experimental / Informatics
List of terms related to Acute liver failure (patient information)

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Jinhui Wu, MD

Please Join in Editing This Page and Apply to be an Editor-In-Chief for this topic: There can be one or more than one Editor-In-Chief. You may also apply to be an Associate Editor-In-Chief of one of the subtopics below. Please mail us [2] to indicate your interest in serving either as an Editor-In-Chief of the entire topic or as an Associate Editor-In-Chief for a subtopic. Please be sure to attach your CV and or biographical sketch.

What is acute liver failure?

• 

  Diagram of hepatobiliary system

• 

  Acute liver failure from Marburg virus, a rare cause. Note hepatocellular necrosis and sinusoidal bleeding

• 

  Liver transplant

How do I know if I have acute liver failure and what are the symptoms of acute liver failure?

The initial symptoms of liver failure are difficult to diagnose because they can be due to any conditions. However, as liver failure progresses, the symptoms become more serious. Signs and symptoms of acute liver failure may include:

• Nausea or vomiting
• Loss of appetite
• Fatigue
• Diarrhea
• Jaundice
• Bleeding easily
• Swollen abdomen
• Disorientation or confusion
• Sleepiness, even coma

Who is at risk for acute liver failure?

• Drug-related hepatotoxicity due to acetaminophen and idiosyncratic drug reactions is the most common cause of acute liver failure in the United States.

• Acetaminophen
• Antibiotics: ampicillin-clavulanate, ciprofloxacin, doxycycline, erythromycin, isoniazid, nitrofurantoin, tetracycline.
• Antivirals: Fialuridine
• Antidepressants: Amitriptyline, nortriptyline
• Antidiabetics: Troglitazone
• Antiepileptics: Phenytoin, valproate
• Anesthetic agents: Halothane
• Lipid-lowering medications: Atorvastatin, lovastatin, simvastatin
• Immunosuppressive agents: Cyclophosphamide, methotrexate
• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs)
• Salicylates (Reye syndrome)
• Oral hypoglycemic agents: Troglitazone
• Others: Disulfiram, flutamide, gold, propylthiouracil

• Viruses infectious diseases

• Hepatitis A virus, Hepatitis B virus, Hepatitis D virus, or Hepatitis E virus.
• Other atypical viruses can cause viral hepatitis and fulminant hepatic failure, including cytomegalovirus, hemorrhagic fever viruses, herpes simplex virus, paramyxovirus and Epstein-Barr virus.

• Vascular diseases

• Ischemic hepatitis
• Hepatic vein thrombosis (Budd-Chiari syndrome)
• Hepatic veno-occlusive disease
• Portal vein thrombosis

• Autoimmune disease

• Autoimmune hepatitis

• Metabolic diseases

• Acute fatty liver of pregnancy
• Alpha1 antitrypsin deficiency
• Reye syndrome
• Tyrosinemia
• HELLP syndrome

• Malignancy

• Primary liver tumor: Hepatocellular carcinoma
• Secondary liver tumor: Extensive hepatic metastases or infiltration from breast cancer, lung cancer, melanoma, lymphoma, leukemia.

• Long term alcohol consumption

How to know you have acute liver failure?

• Complete blood cell (CBC) count, PT and/or international normalized ratio (INR): These tests may indicate thrombocytopenia and measures how long it takes for your blood to clot. If you have acute liver failure, your blood doesn't clot as quickly as it should.
• Hepatic enzymes: This test is to determine how well your liver function is.
• Serum bilirubin, ammonia, glucose, lactate, creatinine.
• Arterial blood gases (ABGs): These may reveal hypoxemia.
• Viral serologies
• Acetaminophen level
• Abdominal CT or MRI scan and biopsy: CT or MRI scans are often used to diagnose acute liver failure. These scans can also be used to guide biopsy and a biopsy sample is usually removed and looked at under a microscope. Tests of the liver tissue may help your doctor understand why your liver is failing.

Where to find medical care for acute liver failure?

Directions to Hospitals Treating acute liver failure

Prevention of acute liver failure

• Get a hepatitis vaccine or an immunoglobulin shot to prevent hepatitis A or hepatitis B.
• Eat a proper diet from all of the food groups.
• Avoidance of alcohol abuse. Avoid alcohol when you are taking acetaminophen (Tylenol).
• Practice proper hygiene. Be sure to wash your hands thoroughly before you touch any food and after you use the bathroom.
• Don't handle any blood or blood products.
• Don't share any personal toiletry items, including toothbrushes and razors.
• If you get a tattoo or a body piercing, make sure the conditions are sanitary and all equipment is aseptic.
• Be sure to use protection (condoms) when having sex.
• If you use illegal intravenous drugs, don't share needles with anyone.

Copyleft Sources

http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/177354-overview

http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/liver-failure/DS00961

http://www.webmd.com/digestive-disorders/digestive-diseases-liver-failure

http://www.utdol.com/patients/content/topic.do?topicKey=~4RRbR6AXciyhmE#H1