Hepatic encephalopathy & coma
Key words: Hepatic failure, encephalopathy, neuro- logical alteration, astrocytes, ammonium. Abstract Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a complication that presents in as many as 28% of patients with cirrhosis, and reported up to ten years after the diagnosis of cir- rhosis. Commonly, it is observed in patients with se- vere hepatic failure and is characterized by neuropsy- chiatric manifestations that can range in severity from a mild alteration in mental state to a coma; additional- ly, some neuromuscular symptoms can be observed. This complication of either acute or chronic hepatic disease is the result of a diminished hepatic reservoir and inability