Hepatic encephalopathy Hepatic encephalopathy Hepatic encephalopathy (HE) is an altered level of consciousness as a result of liver failure. Onset may be gradual or sudden. Other symptoms may include movement problems, changes in mood, or changes in personality. In the advanced stages it can result in a coma. Hepatic encephalopathy can occur in those with acute or chronic liver disease. Episodes can be triggered by infections, GI bleeding, constipation, electrolyte problems, or certain medications. The underlying mechanism is believed to involve the buildup of ammonia in the blood, a substance that is normally removed by the liver. The diagnosis is typically made
Collateral adjective Collateral adjective A collateral adjective is an adjective that is identified with a particular noun in meaning, but that is not derived from that noun. For example, the word "bovine" is considered the adjectival equivalent of the noun "cow", but it is derived from a different word, which happens to be the Latin word for "cow". Similarly, "lunar" serves as an adjective to describe attributes of the Moon; "moon" comes from Old English "mōna" "moon" and "lunar" from Latin "luna" "moon". The adjective "thermal" and the noun "heat" have a similar semantic relationship. As in these examples, the collateral adjective