cirrhosis causes
- alcohol
- viral hepatitis (HepB, HepC)
Too much fat collecting in the liver (nonalcoholic): obese, hyperlipidemia, diabetics
Problems with bile duct (carries bile from liver to small intestine): bile stays in liver and
damages cells
Autoimmune
What does the liver do?
...
performing bile production, metabolism, storage, conjugating bilirubin, and
detoxification
metabolize heme into iron and bilirubin
liver metabolizing glucose
excessive amounts will be synthesized and stored as glycogen AND converts glycogen
into glucose when blood glucose levels are low to increase sugar levels
(monitor blood glucose...in cirrhosis the liver can't synthesize glycogen properly and store it, so
more hangs out in the blood, leading to hyperglycemia)
(in cirrhosis, if the patient is sick or not eating the liver is unable to convert the glycogen to
glucose so the patient can have episode of hypoglycemia)
liver metabolizes Lipids and Proteins
converts ammonia into urea which is then excreted via the urine
Urea is much less toxic to the brain that ammonia
(This doesn't happen in cirrhosis which is why the patient will have neuro change, asterixis,
Stores vitamins (vitamin B12, A, E, D, and K) and minerals along with IRON and
GLYCOGEN.
bile is essential for the absorption of fat soluble vitamins.
In cirrhosis, bile production is impaired which will lead to decreased absorption and storage of
those fat soluble vitamins (vitamin A, D, E, and K)
billirubin in cirrhosis
hepatocytes metabolize heme into iron and bilirubin.
The bilirubin is put into the bile and leaves via the stool
In cirrhosis, the hepatocytes are damaged and CAN'T do this so the hepatocytes leak bilirubin
in the blood as the levels increase it is found in urine
leading to jaundice
Liver production of blood plasma proteins
albumin (maintains oncotic pressure and water regulation within the interstitial tissue)
fibrinogen, prothrombin (aids in clotting)
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