HYPERBILIRUBINEMIC ENCEPHALOPATHIES Meaning and
Definition
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Hyperbilirubinemic encephalopathies refer to a group of neurological conditions that occur due to elevated levels of bilirubin in the blood. Bilirubin is a yellow pigment produced during the breakdown of red blood cells. Normally, it is processed by the liver and excreted in the bile. However, in certain medical conditions, such as liver disease or an excessive breakdown of red blood cells, the liver may be unable to effectively process bilirubin. As a result, the levels of bilirubin increase in the blood, leading to a condition known as hyperbilirubinemia.
When hyperbilirubinemia becomes severe, it can have detrimental effects on the brain, resulting in a range of neurological symptoms collectively referred to as encephalopathy. These symptoms may include poor muscle tone, lethargy, irritability, abnormal eye movements, and in severe cases, seizures or coma. Infants are particularly susceptible to hyperbilirubinemic encephalopathies because their livers are still immature and may not be able to efficiently process bilirubin.
The most common form of hyperbilirubinemic encephalopathy in newborns is known as kernicterus, which is often preventable with early detection and treatment. Treatment typically involves phototherapy or, in severe cases, exchange transfusion to remove excessive bilirubin from the blood. Close monitoring of bilirubin levels is crucial to prevent the development of encephalopathy and its potential long-term effects on a child's neurological development.
Common Misspellings for HYPERBILIRUBINEMIC ENCEPHALOPATHIES
- gyperbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- byperbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- nyperbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- jyperbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- uyperbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- yyperbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- htperbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- hgperbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- hhperbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- huperbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- h7perbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- h6perbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- hyoerbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- hylerbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- hy-erbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- hy0erbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- hypwrbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- hypsrbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- hypdrbilirubinemic encephalopathies
- hyprrbilirubinemic encephalopathies
Etymology of HYPERBILIRUBINEMIC ENCEPHALOPATHIES
The word "hyperbilirubinemic encephalopathies" can be broken down into three main parts:
1. Hyperbilirubinemic: This term consists of two parts: "hyper" and "bilirubinemic".
- "Hyper" is a prefix derived from the Greek word "huper", meaning "above" or "beyond", and it is commonly used to indicate excessive or higher than normal levels of something.
- "Bilirubinemic" comes from "bilirubinemia", which is a medical term combining "bilirubin" and "-emia". "Bilirubin" refers to a yellow-brown pigment that is a byproduct of the breakdown of red blood cells, and "-emia" is a suffix indicating the presence of a substance in the blood.
