BACK TOTOP Browse A-ZSearchBrowse A-ZABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ0-9 E-mail FormEmail ResultsName:Email address:Recipients Name:Recipients address:Message: Print-FriendlyBookmarksbookmarks-menuHepatic ischemiaIschemic hepatitis; Shock liverHepatic ischemia is a condition in which the liver does not get enough blood or oxygen. This causes injury to liver cells. Causes Low blood pressure from any condition can lead to hepatic ischemia. Such conditions may include:Low blood pressureLow blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body may not get enough...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Abnormal heart rhythms Abnormal heart rhythmsAn arrhythmia is a disorder of the heart rate (pulse) or heart rhythm. The heart can beat too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or irregul...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Dehydration Heart failure Heart failureHeart failure is a condition in which the heart is no longer able to pump oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body efficiently. This causes symptom...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Infection, especially sepsis Severe bleedingOther causes may include:Blood clots in the main artery to the liver (hepatic artery) after a liver transplant Inflammation of blood vessels, leading to reduced blood flow (vasculitis) Burns Heat stroke Having a sickle cell crisis Symptoms The person may have altered mental status due to reduced blood flow to the brain. Other symptoms may include:Loss of appetite Feeling of general discomfort JaundiceDamage to the liver cells most often does not cause symptoms until it affects liver function.Blood clots in the liver's main artery may cause abdominal pain. Exams and Tests The following tests will be done:Blood tests to check liver function (AST and ALT). These readings can be very high (in the thousands) with ischemia. ASTThe aspartate aminotransferase (AST) blood test measures the level of the enzyme AST in the blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article ALTThe alanine transaminase (ALT) blood test measures the level of the enzyme ALT in the blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Doppler ultrasound of the blood vessels of the liver. Treatment Treatment depends on the cause. Low blood pressure and blood clots must be treated right away. Outlook (Prognosis) People generally recover if the illness causing hepatic ischemia can be treated. Death from liver failure due to hepatic ischemia is very rare. Possible Complications Liver failure is a rare, but fatal complication. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider right away if you have persistent weakness or symptoms of shock or dehydration.ShockShock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body is not getting enough blood flow. Lack of blood flow means the cells and organs do n...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article DehydrationDehydration occurs when your body does not have as much water and fluids as it needs. Dehydration can be mild, moderate, or severe, based on how much...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Prevention Quickly treating the causes of low blood pressure may prevent hepatic ischemia.Open ReferencesReferencesKorenblat KM, Berk PD. Approach to the patient with jaundice or abnormal liver tests. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 138.Nery FG, Valla DC. Vascular diseases of the liver. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 85.Williams MJ, Gordon-Walker TT. Hepatology. In: Penman ID, Ralston SH, Strachan MWJ, Hobson RP, eds. Davidson's Principles and Practice of Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 24.AllVideoImagesTogLiver blood supply - illustration The proper hepatic artery supplies blood to the liver.Liver blood supplyillustrationLiver blood supply - illustration The proper hepatic artery supplies blood to the liver.Liver blood supplyillustrationRelated Information Heart failure(Condition)Arrhythmias(Condition)Heart failure - InDepth(In-Depth) Review Date: 5/4/2022 Reviewed By: Michael M. Phillips, MD, Emeritus Professor of Medicine, The George Washington University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team. The information provided herein should not be used during any medical emergency or for the diagnosis or treatment of any medical condition. A licensed medical professional should be consulted for diagnosis and treatment of any and all medical conditions. Links to other sites are provided for information only -- they do not constitute endorsements of those other sites. No warranty of any kind, either expressed or implied, is made as to the accuracy, reliability, timeliness, or correctness of any translations made by a third-party service of the information provided herein into any other language. © 1997- A.D.A.M., a business unit of Ebix, Inc. Any duplication or distribution of the information contained herein is strictly prohibited. © 1997- All rights reserved. A.D.A.M. content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.Content is best viewed in IE9 or above, Firefox and Google Chrome browser.
Hepatic ischemiaIschemic hepatitis; Shock liverHepatic ischemia is a condition in which the liver does not get enough blood or oxygen. This causes injury to liver cells. Causes Low blood pressure from any condition can lead to hepatic ischemia. Such conditions may include:Low blood pressureLow blood pressure occurs when blood pressure is much lower than normal. This means the heart, brain, and other parts of the body may not get enough...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Abnormal heart rhythms Abnormal heart rhythmsAn arrhythmia is a disorder of the heart rate (pulse) or heart rhythm. The heart can beat too fast (tachycardia), too slow (bradycardia), or irregul...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Dehydration Heart failure Heart failureHeart failure is a condition in which the heart is no longer able to pump oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body efficiently. This causes symptom...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Infection, especially sepsis Severe bleedingOther causes may include:Blood clots in the main artery to the liver (hepatic artery) after a liver transplant Inflammation of blood vessels, leading to reduced blood flow (vasculitis) Burns Heat stroke Having a sickle cell crisis Symptoms The person may have altered mental status due to reduced blood flow to the brain. Other symptoms may include:Loss of appetite Feeling of general discomfort JaundiceDamage to the liver cells most often does not cause symptoms until it affects liver function.Blood clots in the liver's main artery may cause abdominal pain. Exams and Tests The following tests will be done:Blood tests to check liver function (AST and ALT). These readings can be very high (in the thousands) with ischemia. ASTThe aspartate aminotransferase (AST) blood test measures the level of the enzyme AST in the blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article ALTThe alanine transaminase (ALT) blood test measures the level of the enzyme ALT in the blood.ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Doppler ultrasound of the blood vessels of the liver. Treatment Treatment depends on the cause. Low blood pressure and blood clots must be treated right away. Outlook (Prognosis) People generally recover if the illness causing hepatic ischemia can be treated. Death from liver failure due to hepatic ischemia is very rare. Possible Complications Liver failure is a rare, but fatal complication. When to Contact a Medical Professional Contact your health care provider right away if you have persistent weakness or symptoms of shock or dehydration.ShockShock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body is not getting enough blood flow. Lack of blood flow means the cells and organs do n...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article DehydrationDehydration occurs when your body does not have as much water and fluids as it needs. Dehydration can be mild, moderate, or severe, based on how much...ImageRead Article Now Book Mark Article Prevention Quickly treating the causes of low blood pressure may prevent hepatic ischemia.Open ReferencesReferencesKorenblat KM, Berk PD. Approach to the patient with jaundice or abnormal liver tests. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 138.Nery FG, Valla DC. Vascular diseases of the liver. In: Feldman M, Friedman LS, Brandt LJ, eds. Sleisenger and Fordtran's Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease. 11th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 85.Williams MJ, Gordon-Walker TT. Hepatology. In: Penman ID, Ralston SH, Strachan MWJ, Hobson RP, eds. Davidson's Principles and Practice of Medicine. 24th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2023:chap 24.