What is Acute Liver Failure?
Acute liver failure(ALF) is a condition when liver loses its ability to perform its function rapidly.
Acute liver failure refers to the rapid development of acute liver injury with impaired synthetic function and encephalopathy thus loses its ability to function normally. Commonly, Liver failure develops slowly over the course of time, but in case of acute liver failure, it develops in matter of days.
Acute liver failure is a medical emergency which requires hospitalization. In some cases it can be managed with proper medication; otherwise liver transplantation is the only alternative cure for AFL.
Acute liver failure encompasses both:
Fulminant hepatic failure:
Fulminant hepatic failure is generally used to describe the development of encephalopathy within 8 weeks of the onset of symptoms in a patient with a previously healthy liver.
Sub fulminant hepatic failure:
Subfulminant hepatic failure is reserved for patients with liver disease up to 26 weeks before the development of hepatic encephalopathy.The development of cerebral edema is the major cause of mortality in patients with acute liver failure.
Basics:
An increase of intracranial blood volume and cerebral blood flow is a factor in acute liver failure.
Viral hepatitis E and autoimmune liver disease are more common in women than in men
Atypical causes of viral hepatitis and fulminant hepatic failure include the following:
Cytomegalovirus
Herpes simplex virus
Epstein Barr virus
Autoimmune diseases
Drugs
Portal vein thrombosis
Hepatic vein thrombosis
Hepatitis A
Hepatitis B
Hepatitis E
Fructose intolerance
Wilson disease.
Some of the herbs are also associated with liver failure – Herbal supplements including kava, skullcap and pennyroyal.
What are the symptoms of acute liver failure?
Nausea and vomiting
Pain in upper right area of abdomen
Yellowing of skin and eyeballs
Sleepiness
Difficulty concentrating
Disorientation or confusion.
How can acute liver failure get diagnosed?
• Patient history
• Physical examination
• Use of alcohol
• Any medications
• Family history
What are the complications of acute renal failure?
Acute renal failure
Hemorrhage
Seizures
Infections
Cerebral edema
• Eclampsia
• Preeclampsia
• Multiorgan failure
• Alcoholic hepatitis
• People with acute liver failure are treated in the intensive care unit of a hospital.
• Medications for preventing bleeding
• Screening for infections
• Medications for fluid reduction in brain
• Liver transplant
• Because of the complexities involved, patients with ALF should be managed in an intensive care unit in centers with an active liver transplant program .
Homeopathic medications for acute renal failure:-
Antimonium crudum
• Excess irritability, thick white tongue
• Tendency to grow fat, cannot bear heat of sun
• Sulky, with no wish to speak
• Anger at every little attention
Ignatia amara
• Chief remedy for hysteria, adapted to nervous temperament.
• Rapid change in mental and physical condition.
• Effects of grief and sorrow, silent brooding
• Lack of communication
Chamomilla
• Sensitive, irritable, thirsty hot and numb patients
• Child wants many things but refuses when given
• Impatient, sensitive to pain, always complaining
• Complaints from anger
• Mental calmness contraindicates
Chelidonium majus
• A prominent liver remedy, constant pain under inferior angle of right scapula.
• Paralytic drawing and lameness in single parts
• Hydrocele , great lethargy , distention in abdomen
• Nausea, vomiting, better taking hot water
Lycopodium
• Liver functioning greatly disturbed.
• Emaciation with debility in morning
• Ascites in liver disease
• Lack of vital heat
Nux vomica
• Flatulence distention, spasmodic colic
• Liver engorged , weakness
• Sour, bitter eructation , weight and pain in stomach.
• Desire for fatty food
Natrium sulphuricum
• Liver remedy, feels every change from dry to wet
• Symptoms worse in rainy weather
• Vomiting sour , acid dyspepsia
• Hepatitis ,flatulence with burning in abdomen
Phosphorus
• Yellow atrophy of liver and sub-acute hepatitis
• Fatty degeneration’s of blood vessels
• Pain in stomach relieved by cold food
• Bad effects of salty food.
