Word parts
What it means
The late stage of many liver diseases. Years of damage, most often from alcohol use, chronic hepatitishep-uh-TY-tisInflammation of the liver, most often caused by a virus.hepat/o liver-itis inflammationFull entry B or C, or fat building up in the liver, leave hard scar tissue. Blood cannot flow through the liver easily, and the liver makes less of the proteins and clotting factors the body needs and clears less waste. Problems that follow include fluid in the belly (ascites), bleeding from swollen veins in the esophagus, jaundiceJAWN-disYellow color of the skin, the whites of the eyes and other tissues from too much bilirubin in the blood.Full entry and confusion from ammonia building up.
For the nurse
Watch for bleeding, confusion and fluid build-up; weigh daily and measure the belly. Many drugs are cleared by the liver, so doses may be changed. Teach the client to avoid alcohol and to check before taking any drug, including acetaminophenuh-see-tuh-MIN-uh-fenA drug that relieves mild to moderate pain and lowers fever.Full entry .
At a glance
| Spanish | cirrosis |
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Related terms
-osis
A word ending that means an abnormal condition or process, or an increase.
jaundice
Yellow color of the skin, the whites of the eyes and other tissues from too much bilirubin in the blood.
hepatitis
Inflammation of the liver, most often caused by a virus.
bilirubin
A yellow pigment made when old red blood cells break down, which the liver clears into bile.
albumin
The main protein in blood plasma, made by the liver, which holds fluid inside the blood vessels and carries drugs and hormones.