(HS 078562 Chaney 2023) Managing Chronic Liver Disease in Primary Care

Course overview

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is becoming more common in the United States and worldwide. There is a wide spectrum of disease progression when discussing NAFLD. The mainstay of treatment is lifestyle modification. There are ongoing research endeavors that are promising. This session will discuss important information for the primary care provider to offer best care for the patient with NAFLD. Abnormal liver function testing (LFTs) occurs often in the primary care setting. The purpose of this lecture is to establish an overview of the liver, what testing is done when determining liver injury and liver function, and how to appropriate triage and management the patient with these abnormalities. The purpose of this presentation will be to review the background and current management of the patient with cirrhosis. In the United States, cirrhosis is the 12th most common cause of death. Nurse practitioners are frequently the first providers to see patients in the acute care setting for admission and should be knowledgeable of cirrhosis and its complications. Nurse practitioners in the primary care setting are seeing patients with cirrhosis much more often, as more patients have chronic diseases which cause liver fibrosis and cirrhosis, such as Leannec cirrhosis or hepatitis C related liver disease. Proper diagnosis and quick management is essential in both primary care and acute care settings to ensure patient improvement and a stable outcome.