Cirrhosis Pathochart

This nursing cheat sheet from NURSING.com will help you learn about Cirrhosis, a chronic, irreversible liver disease characterized by inflammation, fibrosis, and formation of scar tissue in the liver. This scarring leads to obstruction of hepatic blood flow and impairs liver function. Symptoms include impaired liver function, increased drug toxicity, reduced coagulation factors, and elevated ammonia and bilirubin levels​​​​. Complications of Cirrhosis can be severe, including hepatic encephalopathy (due to high ammonia levels causing cerebral edema), increased bleeding risk (due to decreased clotting factors), portal hypertension, and esophageal varices, which are dilated veins in the esophagus that can rupture and lead to life-threatening bleeding​​. Assessment of a patient with Cirrhosis includes checking for malaise, general fatigue, anorexia, jaundice with scleral icterus, dark urine, clay-colored stools, edema, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, RUQ pain, hepatomegaly, splenomegaly, portal hypertension, and impaired coagulation​​. Therapeutic management involves medications like analgesics, vitamin K for clotting factors, antacids, lactulose to decrease ammonia levels, and diuretics to remove fluid. Procedures like paracentesis to drain abdominal fluid and dietary restrictions are also part of the treatment plan​​. Patient education focuses on avoiding alcohol and acetaminophen overuse, and reporting any signs or symptoms of bleeding to a healthcare provider​​.