Encephalopathies are a group of neurological pathologies, the onset of which generally leads to an alteration of the mental, consciousness and / or behavioral state .
The various types of encephalopathy differ from each other due to the triggering causes - to which they usually owe their names - for the symptoms, for the complications, for the treatment and for the prognosis.
Congenital or acquired, an encephalopathy can last a lifetime ( permanent encephalopathy ) or may have a more or less important margin of healing ( temporary encephalopathy ).
A form of encephalopathy of a usually temporary nature, consequent to a very serious condition known as renal insufficiency, is the so-called uremic encephalopathy .
Reminding readers that the term renal failure is used in the presence of severely diseased kidneys unable to perform their normal functions, the uremic adjective associated with encephalopathy refers to the final stage of renal failure: uremia.
By uremia we mean the accumulation of nitrogenous substances (mainly urea) in the blood .
These substances - whose presence in the blood is due to a malfunctioning of the kidneys - are highly toxic to the body.
At the time of its onset, uremic encephalopathy is the cause of: anorexia, nausea, restlessness, drowsiness, reduction in the ability to concentrate and slowing down of cognitive functions.
Therefore, with the worsening of the situation and if no treatment is practiced, the following may appear:
- He retched
- Drastic reduction of cognitive abilities
- Disorientation
- Confusion
- Abnormal behavior
- myoclonus
- asterixis
- Epileptic attacks
The final outcome of a uremic encephalopathy is coma, followed by death .
Epidemiology
According to several studies, uremic encephalopathy manifests itself in equal measure both in men and women (so there is no greater predisposition for a given sex) and does not prefer any particular breed.Furthermore, it can occur at any age .
THERAPY
There is no specific therapy for uremic encephalopathy.The only treatment reserved for patients that provides appreciable results is dialysis for the treatment of renal failure .
In other words, action must be taken on the triggering cause.
The improvements obtained through dialysis are sometimes immediate and sometimes delayed, depending on the patient in question.
