How Is Metabolic Dementia Treated
There is no cure for metabolic dementia. Treatment involves controlling the symptoms of the disorder. Drugs have been developed to treat other forms of dementia including Alzheimers disease. These drugs have not been shown to be effective for the treatment of metabolic dementia. However, the metabolic conditions that are causing the dementia are often treatable.
Treatment may include intervention to control the underlying health problem. If you have diabetes, better control of blood sugar may slow the progression of the disease. Your outlook will depend on the severity of symptoms and the amount of brain damage that occurs. Sometimes, the progression of the dementia caused by nutritional disorders or by high blood pressure, can be stopped or even reversed. The reversal will depend a great deal on how much damage has occurred to the brain.
Obesity Is A Big Risk Factor
Some seem to think that being classified as obese doesnt equal a higher risk of liver disease, but it might be dangerous to think like that. John Hopkins Medicine reports quite the opposite, as it significantly raises your risk of liver disease, even if you dont drink.
The source goes on to note that fat in the liver can cause inflammation, which can lead to fibrosis and cirrhosis. Both are serious liver conditions, and the latter can cause the organ to be permanently damaged .
What You Can Do
Nearly 75 percent of men who have ED do not seek treatment, but Dr. Khera wants people to know that there is hope. He says that there are studies that show that erectile dysfunction can be completely reversed with diet and exercise.
While medications like sildenafil , tadalafil , and vardenafil can treat ED, they cannot cure it. However, Dr. Khera says,stress reduction, diet, exercise, and sleepthose are all the pillars of success.
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Shining A Light On Hepatic Encephalopathy
Blum was eventually diagnosed with hepatic encephalopathy a condition that causes temporary worsening of brain function in people with advanced liver disease.
HE occurs when the liver is damaged causing a reduction in the bodys ability to remove toxic substances from your blood. As the toxins increase, they can affect brain function causing a variety of mental and physical symptoms. HE symptoms can range from mild to severe confusion, fatigue, tremors, progressive disorientation, and coma if not recognized and treated. The condition is serious, but treatable, especially if caught early and treated promptly.
Blum doesnt recall exactly when she was diagnosed with HE, but says she suffered for months, if not years, before she finally decided to speak to doctors about her memory lapses and other issues that she would later learn are symptoms of the condition.
Her gastroenterologist, in consultation with her hepatologist, made the diagnosis based largely on her symptoms, according to Blum, who says she would have likely been diagnosed and treated earlier had she known she was at risk for HE.
Blum says she had never heard of the condition before her diagnosis, and her family members were in the dark too.
If I knew more about HE, I could have asked more questions, and my family would have been aware that I was experiencing symptoms of HE, she says.
Causes And Risk Factors
Acute hepatic encephalopathy results from acute hepatic failure with severe brain swelling which varies according to the aetiology of liver disease, with patients with hepatitis B or non-A, non-B hepatitis having the highest incidence of this complication.
PSE frequently results from a precipitating factor, such as dietary protein overload, constipation or gastrointestinal bleeding. Other conditions are hypoglycaemia, hypoxia, or the use of sedative drugs, particulary benzodiazepines, may also precipitate PSE in cirrhosis patients.
The pathophysiology of uremic encephalopathy is complex and is considered a multifactorial process, and may initially reflect a neurotransmitter deficit. There is evidence that parathyroid hormone plays a role , since, in uremic patients, both the EEG abnormalities and the neuropsychiatric symptoms are improved by either parathyroidectomy or medical suppression of PTH . The mechanism whereby parathyroid hormone disturbs CNS function is unknown but could relate to facilitation of Ca2+ entry into the cell and consequent cell death.
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Signs And Symptoms Of Hepatic Encephalopathy
Hepatic encephalopathy is often difficult to diagnose in the earliest stages of the disease. Forgetfulness, irritability, anxiety, and confusion are often the first signs, most of which easily missed even in persons with known liver disease.
Perhaps the first obvious symptom would be something called an inverted sleep-wake pattern, in which a person will literally sleep by day and remain awake at night. This is often followed by a range of later-stage symptoms, which can include:
- Lethargy
- Uninhibited behavior
- Amnesia
Severe cases can lead to a worsening state of consciousness, often progression to violent seizures and coma. Death is usually caused by the severe swelling of the brain .
What Is Hepatic Encephalopathy
You’ve had liver disease for a while, but now you notice something different about the way you act and feel. Maybe you forget things or get confused when someone’s talking to you. Your friends may tell you that your speech sounds slurred or that you say things that aren’t appropriate.
And it isnât only changes in behavior. You might feel sluggish or find that you can’t move your hands well anymore. Or your breath doesn’t smell like it should.
What’s going on? Is there a link to the liver problems you’ve been dealing with for years?
It could be. You may have hepatic encephalopathy , a disorder caused by a buildup of toxins in the brain that can happen with advanced liver disease. It affects a lot of things, like your behavior, mood, speech, sleep, or the way you move.
Sometimes the symptoms are so mild that it’s hard for anyone to notice. But whether you have obvious signs or just a few subtle changes, it’s important to see your doctor. The right treatment can help keep your condition under control, but if you don’t take care of yourself, your condition will continue to worsen.
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Causes Of Hepatic Encephalopathy
While hepatic encephalopathy is associated with acute liver failure, there are usually other contributing factors at play. Many of these factors have nothing to do with either the liver or the brain they simply appear to either trigger an attack or further aggravate an existing episode.
Among the potential co-factors in people with acute liver failure:
- Excessive alcohol use
- Low potassium and/or sodium levels, often caused by diuretics used to treat ascites in later-stage disease
- Benzodiazepines, a sedative often prescribed to treat alcohol withdrawal
- Narcotics and anti-psychotic drugs
- The use of shunts , used to correct blood flow in the liver
Fatty Liver Linked To Cancer And Dementia
Is your liver trying to kill you?
You cant see it, feel it, or sense it and without an imaging test, theres no way youll even know its happening.
But fat in your liver is dangerous, even deadly especially if it turns into a frightening condition called fatty liver disease.
Ill tell you how to turn that risk around in a moment.
First, let me share with you WHY its so critical to put your liver on a diet, as a pair of new studies reveals two new risks linked to this condition.
One of them can kill you and the other might be even worse!
The first study finds that nonalcoholic fatty liver disease a form of the disease caused by poor diet rather than heavy drinking can increase your risk of several deadly forms of cancer.
Overall, this condition will increase your risk of any form of cancer by nearly a third.
But some risks are worse than others. Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease will boost your odds of one form of liver cancer by more than 16 times.
The risks arent limited to the liver itself. Guys, a fatty liver will double your risk of colon cancer. And ladies, that same condition will almost double your risk of breast cancer.
The good news is that while both of these forms of cancer are deadly, they can also be treated and defeated.
The second new study, on the other hand, reveals a risk that the mainstream is powerless to defeat: dementia.
The damage of fatty liver can creep right up into your brain, where it can cause your gray matter to shrink.
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Tawnys Memory Loss Was Linked To Her Liver Disease
Six years ago, things began to go from bad to worse for Tawny Blum .
In her early thirties, Blum was already struggling to manage not one, but two rare liver diseases: primary sclerosing cholangitis and primary biliary cholangitis . Tawny is among just a handful of people who have both conditions.
You are supposed to be having the time of your life in your twenties and thirties, says Blum, who was diagnosed with PSC in 1997 and PBC in 2010. Most of my time was spent at doctors appointments, sleeping or in the hospital.
In 2012, Blum also began forgetting things a lot which made it even harder for her to handle her job as a case manager for adults with developmental disabilities. Her fatigue grew worse, and she began slurring her words and repeating herself.
I was forgetting everything at work, recalls Blum, a social worker by training who had long prided herself on attention to detail. I also went from sleeping on the weekends to needing to sleep from the minute I got home until I left for work the next morning.
Well-meaning friends and family members tried to console her by downplaying her memory lapses: People used to say to me: Oh Tawny, everybody forgets, notes Blum. She recalls thinking: Not like this. And it turned out she was right.
Can Dementia Caused From Cirrhosis Be Cured
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Reversible Health Conditions That Can Mimic Dementia
By: Cat Ebeling, RN, MSN-PHN, co-author of the best-sellers: The Fat Burning Kitchen, The Top 101 Foods that Fight Aging & The Diabetes Fix
If youve ever forgotten where you parked your car, lost your keys in your own house, or walked into a room and forgot why you went there, you are not alone. We all have days like that. But often as we get older, forgetfulness tends to cause more than just temporary anxiety. We sometimes jump to the conclusion that we are getting dementia or have Alzheimers disease.
Dementia and Alzheimers disease are words that strike fear into many of us. Growing older, losing our ability to remember, think, reason, speak, or care for ourselves is not the way we want to view our own aging or that of our loved ones.
There are many forms of dementia, including Alzheimers disease. Alzheimers itself does not have a specific test to determine its presence doctors merely rely on a cluster of symptoms to recognize it. Doctors often diagnose dementia as a generalized disorder that affects the brain causing memory loss, confusion, personality changes, and even physical manifestations.
Other symptoms of dementia of various types include:
short-term memory loss loss of sense of direction difficulty recognizing loved ones and familiar faces difficulties walking or moving around
Problems With Vision And Hearing
Sensory limitations, too, can create a picture like cognitive impairment that worsens as the affected person becomes increasingly isolated as a result of hearing or vision problems. Recent research has emphasized that there is a relationship between hearing loss and the risk for development of cognitive impairment.
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Systemic Inflammatory Response Syndrome In Acute Liver Failure Cause Mental Confusion
The peripheral immune system communicates with the brain in response to infection and inflammation. The systemic inflammatory response syndrome results from the release and circulation of proinflammatory cytokines and mediators. Sepsis-associated encephalopathy is characterized by changes in mental status especially cause mental confusion. The systemic inflammatory response syndrome in the problem of acute liver failure, in this the cause of an infection is common.
Symptoms Of Hepatic Encephalopathy
Symptoms are those of impaired brain function, especially reduced alertness and confusion. In the earliest stages, subtle changes appear in logical thinking, personality, and behavior. The person’s mood may change, and judgment may be impaired. Normal sleep patterns may be disturbed. People may become depressed, anxious, or irritable. They may have trouble concentrating.
At any stage of encephalopathy, the person’s breath may have a musty sweet odor.
As the disorder progresses, people cannot hold their hands steady when they stretch out their arms, resulting in a crude flapping motion of the hands . Their muscles may jerk involuntarily or after people are exposed to a sudden noise, light, a movement, or another stimulus. This jerking is called myoclonus Myoclonus Myoclonus refers to quick, lightning-like jerks of a muscle or a group of muscles. Myoclonus may occur normally … read more . Also, people usually become drowsy and confused, and movements and speech become sluggish. Disorientation is common. Less often, people with encephalopathy become agitated and excited. Eventually, as liver function continues to deteriorate, they may lose consciousness and lapse into a coma. Coma often leads to death, despite treatment.
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Hyperammonemia Can Slow The Mental Process And Cause Confusion
The increase in blood ammonia in advanced liver disease is a consequence of impaired liver function and of shunting of blood around the liver. In addition to direct neurotoxicity, low-grade astrocyte swelling may contribute to brain dysfunction. The enzyme glutamine synthetase which is present in the endoplasmic reticulum of astrocytes is responsible for the conversion of and ammonia to glutamine. As glutamine acts as an osmolyte, water moves inside the astrocyte causing low-grade cerebral edema and a predominantly neuroinhibitory state that is, slowing of mental processes is pathognomonic of hepatic encephalopathy, which is associated with the chronic liver disease.
What Are The Complications Of Hepatic Encephalopathy
Liver disease needs treatment, such as medications and lifestyle changes, including not drinking alcohol. If the underlying cause of liver disease isnt treated, liver function deteriorates, and toxins continue to build. Some people with advanced hepatic encephalopathy lose consciousness and go into a hepatic coma.
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You Can Reduce The Risk
While weve told you some cases of liver problems are unavoidable , there are preventative steps to protect against liver disease, says John Hopkins Medicine.
These measures include not drinking alcohol in excess , watch your weight , avoid engaging in unprotected sex or illicit drug use, and know the risk factors for Hepatitis C .
Regular Checkups Wont Uncover Liver Disease
Along the same lines, you cant be diagnosed with liver disease through a routine annual medical checkup, says Liver.ca. Thats because doctors dont usually include liver testing unless theres a problem suspected.
As mentioned, liver problems can show up when disease has significantly progressed, so it is important for everyone to learn more about the risk factors and symptoms of liver disease and then use this information to engage in liver-healthy discussions with your doctor during your check-up, it adds.
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You Cant Always Tell Theres A Problem
The same source explains that you wont necessarily feel sick if you have liver disease, because the symptoms can be vague and easily confused with other health problems.
In fact, in some cases, you may not have any symptoms at all as your liver chugs along despite significant damage, adds the source. When you do have symptoms, it could be in the form of fatigue, nausea, or yellowing of the skin and/or whites of the eyes .
Weight Gain And High Cholesterol
As the liver is largely responsible for burning fat and regulating metabolism, when it becomes damaged, unwanted weight gain can often occur. Youll tend to notice this weight gain in the abdominal area, which is often referred to as a pot belly, or you may develop a roll of fat at the upper abdomen, which can be a sign of fatty liver.
Additionally, liver damage may also cause you to develop high cholesterol, because the organ will not produce enough good cholesterol, which travels out of the liver to scavenge the unhealthy cholesterol from the blood vessel walls, according to LiverDoctor.com. As a result, there is an increased risk of developing high blood pressure, heart attacks, and strokes.
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Liver Cirrhosis Can Induce Cognitive Impairment Disorder
Hepatic encephalopathy is a well-known neuropsychiatric disorder which may develop with advancing liver insufficiency and helps define the differing clinical syndromes of liver failure. Acute liver failure is defined by the presence of hepatic encephalopathy within 8-weeks of the initial liver insult, in the absence of chronic liver disease . In its most advanced stages, it is associated with intracranial hypertension and possible death from brain herniation. In cirrhosis, hepatic encephalopathy typically occurs insidiously with wide-ranging neuropsychiatric disturbances such as psychomotor dysfunction, impaired memory, decreased reaction time, diminished attention, sensory abnormalities and poor concentration.
Liver Problems Wont Show Up In A Routine Blood Test
Unfortunately, liver disease can slip under the radar when youre getting regular blood work performed, says Huffington Post. Thats because doctors dont usually order blood tests that specifically measure liver function, which could partly explain the often very late diagnosis of liver disease, it notes.
It says patients need to be tested specifically for aspartate aminotransferase and alanine aminotransferase , which can tell doctors that theres cellular death in the liver. Additionally, elevated levels of alkaline phosphatase in the blood can indicate a reduction in bile secretion, which is essential for the proper digestion of fats and other substances in foods.
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