Word parts
What it means
The word is usually paired with its cause. Hepatic encephalopathy comes from toxins such as ammonia building up when the liver fails, uremic encephalopathy from kidney failure, Wernicke encephalopathy from a lack of thiamine, and hypoxic encephalopathy from too little oxygen. It shows as confusion, personality change, sleepiness and, in severe cases, coma.
For the nurse
Check and chart mental status regularly so changes are caught early, and keep the client safe from falls.
At a glance
| Spanish | encefalopatía |
|---|
Related terms
delirium
A sudden state of confusion and poor attention that comes and goes over hours or days.
encephal/o
A word part that means brain.
encephalitis
Inflammation of the brain tissue.
Reye syndrome
A rare illness that causes swelling of the brain and liver damage, mostly in children and teenagers.