Patient's question:
I have an aunt. It is said that my mother fainted at home for no apparent reason. After being sent to the hospital, the doctor said it was hepatic encephalopathy, and she is still in critical condition. I have rarely heard of this disease and don't know what the cause of hepatic encephalopathy is. How can the disease be prevented?Doctor's answer:
The primary diseases leading to hepatic encephalopathy include several, among which hepatic encephalopathy is most common in patients with cirrhosis. Other diseases include severe viral hepatitis, toxic hepatitis, drug-induced liver disease, acute fatty liver of pregnancy, various types of cirrhosis, portosystemic shunts, primary liver cancer, and other end-stage diffuse liver diseases. However, many factors can lead to hepatic encephalopathy, such as upper gastrointestinal bleeding, high-protein diet, significant potassium metabolism, diuretics, ascites drainage, deep sleep, sedation, injections, constipation, uremia, infection, or surgical trauma.