Why does acute liver failure occur?

The article was professionally consulted by Specialist Doctor I Le Nguyen Hong Tram - Gastroenterologist - Department of Medical Examination & Internal Medicine - Vinmec Nha Trang International General Hospital. The doctor has many years of experience in the examination and treatment of gastrointestinal diseases, especially gastrointestinal - hepatobiliary diseases, gastrointestinal endoscopy and general internal diseases.

Acute liver failure is a state of massive damage to liver cells due to various causes leading to an acute clinical picture with manifestations: jaundice, coagulopathy, hepatic encephalopathy, multi-organ failure ....in a person with previously normal liver function. Mortality rates are as high as 50-90% without proper treatment or liver transplantation. What is the cause of acute liver failure?

1. Causes of acute liver failure

Viruses, bacteria: The most common cause of hepatitis A, B, C, and E viruses in Vietnam is hepatitis B virus. There are also some other viruses such as: Cytomegalovirus, Herpes, Epstein Barr , chicken pox. Patients with severe infections and septic shock also have a rate of liver damage and acute liver failure that ranges from 20 to 25%. Parasites such as malaria, worms, liver flukes are also one of the causes of the disease.

Bệnh suy gan cấp có thể là do virus vi khuẩn gây ra — Bệnh suy gan cấp có thể là do virus - vi khuẩn gây ra

Due to drug poisoning: The most common is paracetamol poisoning, in alcoholic patients with normal therapeutic doses can also cause poisoning or the drug is used in combination with drugs that metabolize the enzyme Cytochrome 450, eg drugs anti-convulsant. Other drugs can also cause acute liver failure such as: Sulphonamides, Phenytoin, Rifampicin, Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs, Isoniazid, Tetracycline, Allopurinol, Ketoconazole, MAO... Poisoning with herbal medicines of unknown origin, especially drug preservatives. Caused by fungi: The most characteristic is liver failure caused by the fungus Amianita phalloides.
Other causes: The following diseases can also lead to liver failure:
Reye's syndrome. Large vessel occlusion in the liver. Acute fatty liver syndrome in pregnant women.

Tắc mạch lớn cũng có thể dẫn tới tình trạng suy gan cấp — Tắc mạch lớn cũng có thể dẫn tới tình trạng suy gan cấp

2. Is acute liver failure dangerous?

The liver is the hardest working organ in the body. The liver has the function of filtering toxins, storing energy, digesting food ... so when the liver is sick, the body will be poisoned and can cause dangerous complications such as:
Respiratory complications: Mainly due to infection or ARDS Cardiovascular complications: hypotension, shock. Infection: Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, sepsis (this is the cause of death in 11% of cases of acute liver failure). Neurological complications: hepatic encephalopathy. Metabolic complications: hypoglycemia, hypokalemia, metabolic acidosis, hyponatremia. Blood clotting disorders: cause internal bleeding. Renal failure complications: Due to damage to kidney cells, renal tubular necrosis. Liver-renal syndrome.

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