HEPATIC FAILURE Meaning and
Definition
-
Hepatic failure, also known as liver failure, refers to a severe and life-threatening condition in which the liver is unable to perform its essential functions. The liver is a vital organ responsible for numerous crucial metabolic processes, such as detoxification, production and regulation of chemicals, digestion, and storage of nutrients. Hepatic failure occurs when the liver is no longer able to perform these functions adequately, leading to a disruption in the body's normal processes.
There are two types of hepatic failure: acute and chronic. Acute hepatic failure occurs suddenly and progresses rapidly, often due to severe liver injury caused by conditions like hepatitis, drug toxicity, or viral infections. Chronic hepatic failure, on the other hand, is a more gradual and long-term condition that develops over months or years, usually as a result of chronic liver diseases like cirrhosis or chronic alcohol abuse.
Symptoms of hepatic failure can include jaundice (yellowing of the skin and eyes), abdominal pain and swelling, easy bruising or bleeding, confusion or cognitive impairment, fatigue, and nausea. If left untreated, hepatic failure can lead to life-threatening complications such as hepatic encephalopathy, kidney failure, and multiple organ failure.
Treatment for hepatic failure aims to manage the underlying cause and provide supportive care. In some cases, a liver transplant may be necessary to replace the diseased liver with a healthy one. However, the success of treatment largely depends on the extent of liver damage, the underlying cause, and the promptness of medical intervention.
Common Misspellings for HEPATIC FAILURE
- gepatic failure
- bepatic failure
- nepatic failure
- jepatic failure
- uepatic failure
- yepatic failure
- hwpatic failure
- hspatic failure
- hdpatic failure
- hrpatic failure
- h4patic failure
- h3patic failure
- heoatic failure
- helatic failure
- he0atic failure
- hepztic failure
- hepstic failure
- hepwtic failure
- hepqtic failure
- heparic failure
Etymology of HEPATIC FAILURE
The word "hepatic" in "hepatic failure" originates from the Greek word "hepar", which means "liver". The term "hepatic" is commonly used in medical terminology to refer to anything related to the liver. The word "failure" comes from the Latin word "fallere", which means to "be lacking or to disappoint". Therefore, "hepatic failure" refers to a condition in which the liver is not functioning properly or has ceased to function altogether.
