Jimmie is a heavy drinker. He admits to drinking 12-pack of beer a night. He has been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver during his latest physical besides already having hypertension
a. What is cirrhosis of the liver and what can Jimmie expect?
b. List the complications of cirrhosis of the liver.
c. What is the prognosis for this disease?
d. What is the treatment?
Students' answers should include the following:
a. Cirrhosis is a chronic and degenerative disorder of the liver with cellular damage.
b. Irreversible and partial or complete obstruction of blood vessels due to fibrous scar tissue replacing liver cells
Digestion, metabolism, blood coagulation, electrolyte and fluid imbalances, inability to detox chemicals, and inability to metabolize hormones
Alcoholic, postnecrotic, and biliary cirrhosis; alcoholic is the most common type.
Necrotic liver cells are replaced by scar tissue.
Develops over 30 years or longer
c. Prognosis is based on albumin and bilirubin levels, along with presence of ascites, neurologic status, and nutritional status.
Compensated—vague s/s and less severe
Uncompensated—more pronounced and liver failure indicated
Fatigue, anorexia, dyspepsia, nausea, vomiting, constipation, weight loss, and diarrhea
White to clay-colored stools due to no bile in GI tract; dark or tea-colored urine
Liver biopsy reveals hepatic fibrosis.
Esophageal varices life threatening
Portal hypertension
Ascites
d. Banding or balloon tamponade for varices
Stents for portal hypertension
You might also like to view...
The nurse is caring for a client who states, "I always wanted to be a nurse when I was growing up." This demonstrates which component of self concept?
a. real self c. positive self b. ideal self d. public self
The nurse has been caring for a primiparous client who is suspected of carrying a macro-somic infant
Pushing appears to have been effective so far; however, as soon as the head is born, it retracts against the perineum much like a turtle's head drawing into its shell. In evaluating the labor progress so far, the nurse is aware that this is normal with large in-fants and extra pushing efforts by the mother may be necessary. Indicate whether the statement is true or false
Which statement by the nurse is more likely to motivate a patient to adhere to a drug therapy regimen for hypertension?
a. "Your doctor prescribed this drug and your doctor knows what is best for your health." b. "If you do not take this drug you are at greater risk to die of stroke or heart attack within the next 10 years." c. "As an artist, your eyes are important, and taking this drug daily helps prevent eye damage from high blood pressure." d. "If you are not taking this drug because you are too poor to afford it, I can call a social worker so you can get financial aid."
A nurse is planning care for a child with Adrenal Insufficiency (Addison's Disease). The priority nursing diagnosis is:
1. Risk for deficient fluid volume. 2. Risk for injury, secondary to hypertension. 3. Acute pain. 4. Imbalanced nutrition.