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Encephalopathy (cont.)

What are the symptoms of encephalopathy?

Despite the numerous and varied causes of encephalopathy, at least one symptom present in all cases is an altered mental state. The altered mental state may be subtle and develop slowly over years (for example, in hepatitis the decreased ability to draw simple designs, termed apraxia) or be profoundly obvious and develop rapidly (for example, brain anoxia leading to coma or death in a few minutes). Often, symptoms of altered mental status can present as inattentiveness, poor judgment, or poor coordination of movements.

Other symptoms that may occur include:

Often the severity and type of symptoms are related to the severity and cause of the brain disease or damage. For example, alcohol-induced liver damage (alcoholic cirrhosis) can result in involuntary hand tremors (asterixis), while severe anoxia (lack of oxygen) may result in coma with no movement.

How is encephalopathy diagnosed?

The diagnosis of encephalopathy is usually done by clinical tests done during the physical examination (mental status tests, memory tests, coordination tests) that document an altered mental state. With most cases, findings on clinical tests either diagnose or presumptively diagnose encephalopathy. Usually, the diagnosis occurs when the altered mental state accompanies another primary diagnosis such as chronic liver disease, kidney failure, anoxia, or many other diagnoses.

Consequently, physicians may utilize several different tests at the same time to diagnose both the primary condition (the cause of encephalopathy) and the encephalopathy itself. This approach to diagnosis is done by most physicians, because many doctors view encephalopathy as a complication that occurs because of a primary underlying health problem. The most frequently utilized tests are listed below with some of the major primary causes the tests may help diagnose:

This list is not exhaustive, and not all of the above tests need to be done to reach a diagnosis; specific testing is usually ordered by the treating physician according to the symptoms and history of the patient.



Next: What is the treatment for encephalopathy? »

Encephalopathy: Type of Encephalopathy

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