Adult Health Nursing Study Guide Answers Related

Review Adult Health Nursing Study Guide Answers related questions and content

A patient admitted to the ICU develops acute liver failure with hepatic encephalopathy. What intervention should the healthcare team prioritize to manage the patient's encephalopathy?

  • A. Administer lactulose or other ammonia-lowering agents.
  • B. Perform liver transplantation to restore liver function.
  • C. Initiate enteral nutrition to support metabolic needs.
  • D. Prescribe benzodiazepines for sedation and agitation.
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The healthcare team should prioritize administering lactulose or other ammonia-lowering agents to manage hepatic encephalopathy in a patient with acute liver failure. Hepatic encephalopathy is a neuropsychiatric syndrome that occurs in patients with liver dysfunction, leading to the accumulation of ammonia and other neurotoxic metabolites in the bloodstream. Lactulose works by acidifying the colon, which promotes the conversion of ammonia to ammonium, a less toxic form that can be excreted in the stool. By reducing the levels of ammonia, lactulose helps improve the neurological symptoms associated with hepatic encephalopathy.