Question

1. Who is at highest risk for liver disease?
2. What is the portal circulation?
3. How/Why does portal hypertension occur?
4. What role do the collateral vessels play in portal hypertension?
5. Elevations of which 2 LFT are indicative of generalized liver inflammation?
6. Which of these 2 tests is specific to the liver?
7. Why does the albumin level help assess liver function?
8. Why is PT (prothrombin time) a liver function test?
9. Why might the GTT be elevated?
10. What 2 diseases might the alkaline phosphatase be elevated?
11. Spider Angiomas are a collection of swollen blood vessels known as what?
12. Where on the body are spider angiomas more likely to occur in someone with liver disease?
13. Jaundice can occur for many reasons
    1. What is the main reason for pre-hepatic causes of jaundice? Give 3 examples
    2. What is the main reason for intra-hepatic causes of jaundice? Give 3 examples
    3. What is the main reason for post- hepatic causes of jaundice? Give 1 example
14. What is indirect bilirubin?
15. What is direct bilirubin?
16. Explain what happens in conjugation of the bilirubin?
17. Why is urine yellow and stool brown?
18. Someone who is jaundice asks the nurse why their urine is so brown? What is the nurses response?
19. Why does someone with portal hypertension often have ascites?
20. What role does RAAS play in ascites?
21. What is the priority in the care of someone with ascites?
22. What medications may be used? Why?
23. What is the danger of removing too much fluid at one time in the abdomen during a paracentesis?
24. What happen to the liver that has cirrhosis? What causes the damage?
25. What are the most common causes of cirrhosis?
26. Why are people with liver failure (Cirrhosis) often anemic?
27. Why are people with liver failure (Cirrhosis) often thrombocytopenic?
28. Why are people with liver failure (Cirrhosis) often deficient in fat soluble vitamins
29. Why are people with liver failure (Cirrhosis) often at risk for bleeding?

30. What is asterixis?
31. Why does portal hypertension cause esophageal varices?
32. How are they diagnosed
33. What symptoms would the nurse expect to see if varices ruptured?
34. What would be the priority nursing interventions in someone who was experiencing a rupture?
35. What are activities someone with varices should avoid?
36. Why would the person be on a beta blocker?
37. Why would be the person be on vasopressin?
38. What does balloon tamponade mean? How does the Blakemore tube do this?
39. How does the TIPS procedure reduce portal hypertension?
40. Why does encephalopathy occur?
41. What things increase the risk for encephalopathy?
42. Can someone have encephalopathy and be mostly asymptomatic?
43. How does lactulose help decrease encephalopathy?
44. What side effects of this medication should the nurse be aware of?
45. Why should constipation be avoided in someone with liver failure. Give 3 examples
46. Explain why maintaining fluid and electrolyte balance is important in someone with liver failure?
47. How would the nurse assess for adequate fluid balance?
48. Why is someone with ascites at risk for respiratory distress?
49. What nursing interventions can the nurse do to reduce this risk?
50. Why are people with cirrhosis at risk for complications of immobility?
51. Explain how the nurse can prevent
    1. Pneumonia
    2. DVT/PE
    3. Atelectasis
    4. Skin breakdown
    5. Falls
    6. Muscle Atrophy
52. What are the nutritional needs of someone with cirrhosis?
53. Why are they at risk for bleeding for things other than varices? What are the precautions that should be taken?

Answer 1

Who is at high risk for liver disease:

& Family members have liver diseases, you may be more Vulnerable to liver conditions Hepatitis B Hepatitis card hemochromatosis older than to with alcohol ha

Portal circulation:

o Postal uulation are connectory veins, which are additional Networe a vessels between cateries and venous inulation. veins between the connected capillaries are called portar veins Tunction is to route The venous blood from bastro Interstiral to the liver.

Why does portal hypertension occurs?

shem oportal hypertension is Increase is the Blood Pressure within a system of veins called portal Venous . If the vessels is The liver are blocked due to liver damage, blood cannot flow properly Through The liver, leads to high pressure is the portal system develops

Role of collateral vessels in portal hypertension:

when Blood flow through a vessel ola. Vasula bed is obstructed due to acusior is liver cirrhosis, collateral pathways oper up as blood bypasses The occlusion or obstruction, always growing down a presseure gradient from high pressuu to low pressure Vessels