The Social and Psychological Impact of Hepatic Encephalopathy
Overview
Neurology
Affiliations
Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a brain dysfunction caused by liver insufficiency with symptoms ranging from slight cognitive changes detectable only by neuropsychiatric testing to coma. Up to 60% of patients with cirrhosis have mild forms of HE and 35% will at some point experience overt HE. Even in its milder forms, HE impacts the patient's daily routines, self-sufficiency, quality of life, and, thereby, socio-economic status. HE is a condition affecting the whole household including formal and informal caregivers, who carry a heavy burden. Early identification, prophylaxis, and treatment of HE are essential for relieving patients and informal caregivers.
Hepatic encephalopathy: risk identification and prophylaxis approaches.
Torre A, Cordova-Gallardo J, Martinez-Sanchez F Metab Brain Dis. 2025; 40(3):138.
PMID: 40053146 DOI: 10.1007/s11011-025-01531-y.