A patient is in the late stages of liver failure with cirrhosis and progressive, irreversible damage. What should the nurse explain to the family?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

1. Evaluation for a liver transplant needs to be done during the early stages of liver failure in order for this therapy to be successful.
2. In alcoholic cirrhosis, abstinence from alcohol may decrease liver cell injury and improve portal hypertension.
3. All body systems are affected with hepatic dysfunction. It is a multisystem dysfunction-fluid and electrolyte, renal, integument, hematologic, cardiac, pulmonary, and gastrointestinal.
4. Late stage liver dysfunction may develop varices as a result of portal hypertension. Even if this patient does not develop varices, this patient will not survive for years.

A Patient Is in the Late Stages of Liver Failure