Dr. Lee was born in Shanghai, China, and received his college and medical training in the United States. He is fluent in English and three Chinese dialects. He graduated with chemistry departmental honors from Harvey Mudd College. He was appointed president of AOA society at UCLA School of Medicine. He underwent internal medicine residency and gastroenterology fellowship training at Cedars Sinai Medical Center.
Jay W. Marks, MD, is a board-certified internist and gastroenterologist. He graduated from Yale University School of Medicine and trained in internal medicine and gastroenterology at UCLA/Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.
Acetaminophen is a very safe drug when taken as
directed, even for people with liver disease. Nevertheless, every drug carries
risks.
Liver damage from acetaminophen, which can be severe,
can result either from an overdose or from regular doses that are taken while
drinking alcohol.
Most cases of acetaminophen-induced liver injury are
caused by an intentional or suicidal overdose.
Unintentional or accidental overdose of acetaminophen
can usually be avoided with care and attention to the dosing.
Physicians can estimate a patient's probability of
developing liver injury based on the timing of the overdose and the blood
level of the drug.
In patients with acetaminophen liver damage, the
usual clinical sequence is nausea and vomiting for the first 12-24 hours, then
the patient seems well for the next 12-24 hours, after which abnormal liver
blood tests develop.
An antidote, N-acetyl cysteine, is available and
should be given to the patient as soon as possible, preferably within 16 hours
after the acetaminophen was taken.
Abdominal pain is pain in the belly and can be acute or chronic. Causes include inflammation, distention of an organ, and loss of the blood supply to an organ. Abdominal pain can reflect a major problem with one of the organs in the abdomen such as the appendix, gallbladder, large and small intestine, pancreas, liver, colon, duodenum, and spleen.
Liver disease can be cause by a variety of things including infection (hepatitis), diseases such as gallstones, high cholesterol or triglycerides, blood flow obstruction to the liver, and toxins (medications and chemicals). Symptoms of liver disease depends upon the cause; however, common symptoms may include nausea, vomiting, upper right abdominal pain, and jaundice. Treatment depends upon the cause of the liver disease.
Alcoholism is a disease that includes alcohol craving and continued drinking despite repeated alcohol-related problems, such as losing a job or getting into trouble with the law.
The liver is the largest solid organ in the body, and is actually an gland. The liver has a wide variety of critical functions such as manufacturing proteins and metabolizing fats and carbohydrates. The liver also eliminates harmful biochemical waste products from the body (alcohol, drugs, toxins). The liver secretes bile that aids in digestion. Examples of diseases of the liver include cirrhosis, hepatitis, cancer, and fatty liver. Symptoms of liver disease include bleeding, easy bruising, edema, fatigue, and jaundice.
Coma is the inability to waken or react to the surrounding environment. The Glasgow Coma Scale is frequently used to measure the depth of coma. Causes of coma include trauma, bleeding, edema, lack of oxygen, poisoning, or hypoglycemia. Prognosis for a patient in a coma depends on the cause of the coma.
Healthy Living Tips
Health News Feed
This site complies with the