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Future of Hepatic Encephalopathy

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Hepatic Encephalopathy

Part of the book series: Clinical Gastroenterology ((CG))

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Abstract

One of the major trends we predict for the future is a totally different focus for hepatic encephalopathy (HE) treatment. Formerly, all trials of new therapeutic agents for the treatment of HE were performed in patients with overt HE. Since most of these patients had advanced liver disease and at times multiple precipitating events for episodes of HE, it was not possible to perform randomized controlled clinical trials in these patients. This may explain why no new drug was approved for the treatment of HE in the past 30 years. These days minimal or covert HE can be reliably detected and quantified. It is generally seen earlier in the course of liver disease when precipitating factors are relatively rare. Accordingly, new therapeutic agents will be tested for efficacy in this population of HE patients.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Gastroenterology, Metrohealth Medical Center, 2500 Metrohealth Drive, Cleveland, OH, 44109, USA

    Kevin D. Mullen MD, FRCPI & Ravi K. Prakash MBBS, MD, MRCP (UK)

Authors
  1. Kevin D. Mullen MD, FRCPI
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  2. Ravi K. Prakash MBBS, MD, MRCP (UK)
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Correspondence to Kevin D. Mullen MD, FRCPI .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. , Division of Gastroenterology, MetroHealth Medical Center, 2500 MetroHealth Drive, Cleveland, 44145, USA

    Kevin D. Mullen

  2. , Division of Gastroenterology, MetroHealth Medical Center, 2500 MetroHealth Medical Center, Cleveland, 44145, USA

    Ravi K. Prakash

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Mullen, K.D., Prakash, R.K. (2012). Future of Hepatic Encephalopathy. In: Mullen, K., Prakash, R. (eds) Hepatic Encephalopathy. Clinical Gastroenterology. Humana Press, Totowa, NJ. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-836-8_20

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-61779-836-8_20

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  • Publisher Name: Humana Press, Totowa, NJ

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-61779-835-1

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-61779-836-8

  • eBook Packages: MedicineMedicine (R0)

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