Anatomy
This type of cell comprises over 80% of the liver parenchyma.
What are hepatocytes?
The liver helps maintain blood glucose levels by doing this.
What is converting glucose to glycogen and glycogenolysis?
The liver synthesizes this plasma protein useful for generating oncotic/osmotic pressure in the venous capillary bed.
What is albumin?
These cells found in the liver help to clear out old RBCs.
What are Kupffer cells?
This substance is the number 1 cause of cirrhosis in the United States.
What is alcohol?
The lobe of the liver can be palpated at or just below this structure.
What is the rib cage?
In addition to glycogen storage and release, the liver can synthesize glucose using this process.
What is gluconeogenesis?
In a patient with low levels of albumin, the nurse would expect to see this sign.
What is edema?
This substance is liberated when RBC lyse.
What is bilirubin?
These are the two major consequences of portal hypertension.
What are ascites, and varices?
The liver receives oxygen from these two vessels.
What are the hepatic artery and the portal vein?
This is the toxic by-product generated when the liver metabolizes amino acids into a usable form of glucose.
What is ammonia?
This lab test can be used to assess if the liver is producing prothrombin.
What is PT or bleeding time?
The liver clears the body of excess bilirubin by doing this.
What is conjugate bilirubin? Conjugated bilirubin is stored and secreted as bile.
This condition is caused by the build up of ammonia in the blood.
What is hepatic encephalopathy? also...asterixis and pruritus?
Name one organ other than the liver that is part of the hepatic portal system.
What are the spleen, small and large intestines, stomach, and pancreas?
The liver converts ammonia into this substance that can be excreted by the kidneys.
What is urea?
This vitamin is needed to properly synthesize prothrombin.
What is vitamin K?
The "first-pass affect" is an example of this function of the liver.
What is drug metabolism?
This procedure is done to examine liver cells to diagnose or stage cirrhosis or liver cancer or disease.
What is a liver biopsy?
Bile enters the duodenum through this sphincter?
What is the sphincter of Oddi?
The liver breaks down fatty acids into this usable form of energy. Be careful, they also cause metabolic acidosis.
What are ketone bodies?
Besides vitamin K, the liver also acts as storage for these three vitamins.
What are D, A, B12?
These phagocytic cells found in the liver are essential for removing bacteria from the blood stream.
What are macrophages?
A patient who develops esophageal varices is at high risk for this complication.
What is bleeding, hypovolemia, and shock?