Table 3.
The complications and management of liver cirrhosis in elderly patients need careful considerations
Complications | Management (general) | Considerations should be given in elderly patients |
Ascites | Sodium restrictions | Electrolyte abnormalities |
Anti-mineral corticoid | Changes in circulation dynamics | |
Furosemide | Body weight | |
Torasemide | Pulse and blood pressure | |
Albumin infusion | Verification of blood biochemistry and urinalysis | |
Hepatic encephalopathy | Optimization of bowel movement | Diarrhea |
Laxatives | Frequent diarrhea that causes electrolyte abnormalities | |
Branched-chain amino acids | Skin troubles from frequent defecation | |
Synthetic disaccharide lactulose | Dehydration | |
Rifaximin | Cardiac stress and fluctuation of electrolytes | |
Intravenous drip infusion of Fischer solution | ||
Gastrointestinal bleeding/varices | Non-selective beta-blockers | Arrhythmia |
Fluctuation of blood pressure | ||
Cardiac failure | ||
Endoscopic therapy | Aspiration pneumonia | |
Sarcopenia | Risk of fall-related injury | Nutritional monitoring (serum markers including the albumin, cholesterol level) |
Muscle volume | ||
Administration of branched-chain amino acid preparations | ||
Skin symptoms | Skin moisturisers | Likely to have dry skin |
Bile salts | Frequently suffer from wound infections and persistent skin inflammation | |
Rifampicin | Nalfurafine hydrochloride | |
Anti-histamines | ||
Hepatocellular carcinoma | Use of phase contrast for the diagnosis | Renal function |
Surgical therapy | Cardiac function | |
Transarterial chemotherapy | Bone marrow function | |
Needle guided local therapy | ||
Molecular targeted therapies | History of cerebral bleeding, | |
Hypertension | ||
Renal function | ||
Cirrhotic cardiomyopathy | Cardiac function | |
Spontaneous bacterial peritonitis | Sarcopenia | |
Hepato-renal syndrome | ||
Acute and chronic kidney injury | ||
Hyponatremia | Further clinical trials and information from retrospective studies are necessary | |