Essay: Acute liver failure

One of a main organ of the human body is the liver. The liver is the largest organ in the body and has critical roles. Liver protects the body of toxins and harmful materials, also liver produces bile that helps to digest fats. Without a healthy liver, life is not possible. Once the liver is damaged, because a virus or harmful chemicals or for any other reason, it will lose its ability to function and it is called liver failure is a life-threatening condition. There are two kinds of liver failure: acute and chronic. Acute liver failure happens when liver cells are damaged and unable to function (Khokhar and Niazi, 2012). Acute liver failure is a severe medical emergency causing from numerous insults that liver sustains. In our setting, viral etiology is the prevalent cause. In this article, we are going to investigate only about acute liver failure and its risk factors.
Etiology and Risk Factors
Acute liver failure is a severe liver injury that is rare and dependent the caused; sometimes acute liver failure can be reversible with treatment. The etiology acute liver failure of differing geographical with paracetamol hepatotoxicity the leading reason in both the UK and the US, followed by seronegative hepatitis. Universal, viral hepatitis A, B and E are the greatest common causes of acute liver failure (Sargent, 2010). However, there are several factors that causing the acute liver failure, although in some cases of acute liver failure there is no particular reason. But common factors that cause acute liver failure contain: Acetaminophen overdose (taking too much acetaminophen such as Tylenol, after one very large dose every day for several days), Prescription medications, Herbal supplements, Hepatitis and other viruses (herpes simplex virus), Toxins (poisonous wild mushroom), autoimmune disease, Diseases of the veins in the liver (Budd-Chiari syndrome), metabolic disease, and Cancer. As a nurse, it is vital that the history taking is precise and should contain a careful review of the possibility of contact to viral infections, as well as pharmacological therapies counting those prescribed. If patients have progressive hepatic encephalopathy then this information may request to be taken from families (Sargent, 2010).
Disease presentation
The common of acute liver failure patients are young (age 38 years) and female (78% of patients). The most common symptom that associated with acute liver failure is yellowing of skin and eyeballs, abnormal biochemistries, coagulopathy and hepatic encephalopathy, nausea, vomiting, malaise, disorientation or confusion, and sleepiness (Sargent, 2010).
Pathophysiology
Acute liver failure happens when liver cells are necrosis; when damage is so severe that the liver is unable to do the metabolic of the body and cause the syndrome of acute liver failure develops. This cause multiple organ systems breakdown and causes complications, including cerebral edema, hemodynamic changes, electrolyte disturbance, and renal failure. The complications of acute liver failure differ by region and by etiology, but the main complications in acute liver failure usually associated with death because of the lack of balance between acid-base and hypoglycemia (Shalimar & Acharya, 2015).
Health promotion and disease prevention
Identify the cause of acute liver is a very important step. So, it is required that a nurse or health providers collecting and classify the patient information such as age, gender, medical history, habits, and diet. After that, they can recognize the patient conditions and risk factors. All patients with acute liver failure disease require a hospitalization because some risk factors are modifiable; the patient needs to be trained to reduce these factors and taking care of liver to prevent disease progression. Therefore, nurses and health providers have a key role in patient awareness how to follow the exact instructions on medications, limit or stop drinking alcohol, avoid risky behavior, get vaccinated, choose a healthy diet, and maintain a healthy weight.
Conclusion
Acute liver failure is an unusual disease of various etiologies which usually happens in young age woman and quickly development and associated with high mortality and morbidity. Early detection and timely treatment prevent the disease progression. However, sometimes transplant only cures.
References
Khokhar, N., & Niazi, T. K. (2012). Acute Liver Failure: An Update. Pakistan Journal of Medical Research, 51(3), 107.
Sargent, S. (2010). An overview of acute liver failure: Managing rapid deterioration. Gastrointestinal Nursing, 8(9), 36-42 7p.
Shalimar, & Acharya, S. K. (2015). Management in Acute Liver Failure. Experimental & Clinical Hepatology, 5(S1), S104-S115. doi:10.1016/j.jceh.2014.11.005