肝性腦病變的治療及護理

Nursing Care for Patients with Hepatic Encephalopathy

肝性腦病變是肝硬化患者普遍發生的合併症之一，超過80%的患者都曾發生過，造成肝性腦病變的真正機轉仍不是很清楚，以氨假說最常被接受。針對肝性腦病變的治療包括：確認並矯正誘發的原因、藥物治療、飲食限制等方法。護理人員在患者發生肝性腦病變期間應隨時監測其意識狀態、維持安全的環境、維持呼吸道的通暢、預防便秘及滿足營養的需求。

Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is a common complication of liver cirrhosis, with more than 80% patients being affected at some time of their illness. The underlying mechanism is still unknown. The most popular hypothesis for the pathophysiology of HE is the ammonia hypothesis. The management for HE include identifying and correcting predictive causes, using medication, and restricting dietary protein intake. When nurses provide care for those HE patients, they have to monitor their consciousness level, to maintain safe environment, to keep their airway patent, to prevent constipation, and to provide adequate nutrition.