A recent review (S Ofei, C Gariepy. JPGN 2017; 64: 3-7) provides a good review of “congestive hepatopathy.”

Key points:

• Overall, the liver receives 25% of cardiac output; though, 70% of blood flow to the liver is partially deoxygenated blood.  Cardiac disease can lead to liver disease due to hypoxic injury.
• “Congestive hepatopathy (CH) results from chronic right heart dysfunction with decreased hepatic blood flow, arterial saturation, and increased central venous pressure.”  Ultimately, CH can lead to hepatic cirrhosis, termed ‘cardiac cirrhosis’ by the authors.
• “Symptoms of CH are vague.” These symptoms could include abdominal pain nausea, and early satiety.
• Treatment is uncertain.  “Guidelines and expert consensus..favor use of loop diuretics in patients with jaundice, hepatic congestion, and ascites.”
• With regard to patients with Fontan-associated liver disease (FALD), “there is no consensus.” Patients should be treated for complications like varices, coagulopathy, and nutritional deficiencies.”  Some patients will need liver transplantation, though liver disease may be reversible with cardiac transplantation.  The article provides many references that provide more in-depth review of this topic.

My take: Overall, this article provides a succinct review of congestive hepatopathy.  There are many other cardiac conditions associated with liver dysfunction including heart disease associated with NAFLD, Alagille syndrome, and Kawasaki’s.

Cozumel

Related blog posts:

• Congenital heart disease and the Liver | gutsandgrowth
• Looking for trouble | gutsandgrowth
• Hepatocellular Carcinoma after the Fontan Procedure