Nursing Practice
Review
Liver disease
Nurses are increasingly likely to encounter patients with advanced liver disease and have a vital role in improving end-of-life care for this group
Nursing care for end-stage liver disease
In this article…
Why mortality from liver disease is increasing
Case history of end-stage liver disease
Role of the nurse
5 key points
1. Liver disease is common cause of mortality in England and Wales
2. The average age of death from liver disease is 59 – much younger than other causes of death nationally
3. The most common causes of liver disease – obesity, undiagnosed viral infection with hepatitis B or C, and harmful drinking – avoidable
4. 70% of people with end-stage liver disease die in hospital, compared with 55% of the general population
5. End-stage liver disease involves gradual decline, punctuated with episodes of acute deterioration and some recovery
Author Amanda Clements is nurse consultant in hepatology, South West Liver Unit. Derriford Hospital, Plymouth; Lynda Greenslade is clinical nurse specialist in hepatology, Royal Free London Foundation Trust.
Abstract Clements A, Greenslade L (2014) Liver disease 1: Nursing care for end-stage liver disease. Nursing Times; 110: 29, 16-19. Nurses are seeing more and more patients with liver disease, many of whom are under 65. Most common causes are avoidable and, as liver disease may take up to 30 years to develop, identifying those at risk is key. Patients with liver disease often have a fluctuating course of complications that needs a team approach to care. Improving end-of-life care can also reduce the number of these patients who die in hospital. This article, the first in a two-part series, explores some common complications of liver disease and best practice for nurses treating patients with end-stage liver disease.