Hepatic encephalopathy – Part 1, a diagnostic approach (2025) Yevedzo Ntuli

Description

The first of a three-part review providing an overview of the clinical features, differential diagnoses, and a practical four-step approach for diagnosing hepatic encephalopathy (HE) in patients with acute or chronic liver disease and/or portal-systemic shunting. The diagnosis relies on exclusion of differential diagnoses, and the four steps include defining the underlying disease, clinical characterization, identifying precipitants/risk factors, and excluding alternative diagnoses. It also discusses testing for covert HE.