The Curbsiders Internal Medicine Podcast #142 Cirrhosis TIPS for Acute Complications
11 snips
Mar 11, 2019 AI Snips
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Prioritize Airway and Resuscitation
- For a cirrhotic patient with altered mental status and GI bleeding, prioritize airway protection and stabilize circulation first.
- Intubate early if needed to prevent aspiration pneumonia, and resuscitate carefully with fluids and blood.
Understanding Cirrhosis Terminology
- Decompensated cirrhosis signifies development of complications with markedly reduced survival.
- Acute on chronic liver failure includes liver failure plus extrahepatic organ failures and has very high hospital mortality.
Urgent Treatment for Variceal Bleeding
- Initiate octreotide immediately to reduce portal pressure in variceal bleeding.
- Start third-generation cephalosporin antibiotics promptly to prevent infection and improve survival.