Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

The liver in heart failure.

Cosmas C Giallourakis1, Peter M Rosenberg, Lawrence S Friedman

  • 1Department of Medicine, Harvard Medical School, Gastrointestinal Unit, Massachusetts General Hospital, Boston, MA, USA. friedman.lawrence@mgh.harvard.edu

Clinics in Liver Disease
|January 9, 2003
PubMed
Summary

Severe congestive heart failure can cause liver problems, including jaundice and liver cell damage. Prolonged heart failure may lead to cardiac cirrhosis, while ischemic hepatitis is usually temporary.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Evaluation of Abnormal Liver Biochemical Test Results.

Gastroenterology·2026
Same author

Real-World Assessment of Liver Corrected T1 and Magnetic Resonance Elastography in Predicting Liver Disease Progression.

Liver international : official journal of the International Association for the Study of the Liver·2025
Same author

AGA Clinical Practice Update on Pregnancy-Related Gastrointestinal and Liver Disease: Expert Review.

Gastroenterology·2024
Same author

Incidental Hepatic Steatosis.

Gastro hep advances·2024
Same author

Isolated Hepatitis B Core Antibody.

Gastro hep advances·2024
Same author

Pearls From the Pros: Hepatic Presentations of Celiac Disease.

Gastro hep advances·2024

Area of Science:

  • Hepatology
  • Cardiology
  • Internal Medicine

Background:

  • Severe congestive heart failure (CHF) is linked to significant liver dysfunction.
  • Two primary forms of liver injury in CHF: passive congestion leading to jaundice and impaired perfusion causing hepatocellular necrosis.
  • Chronic or recurrent CHF can result in cardiac cirrhosis (fibrosis).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe the spectrum of liver dysfunction associated with severe congestive heart failure.
  • To differentiate between congestive hepatopathy, ischemic hepatitis, and cardiac cirrhosis.
  • To identify risk factors for acute liver failure in the context of heart failure.

Main Methods:

  • Review of clinical presentations and laboratory findings in patients with severe CHF and liver dysfunction.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Analysis of pathological changes in liver biopsies from affected patients.
  • Correlation of liver injury patterns with hemodynamic status and duration of heart failure.

    • Main Results:

    • Jaundice in CHF is typically due to passive hepatic congestion.
    • Ischemic hepatitis (shock liver) presents as elevated aminotransferases post-hypotension, usually self-limited.
    • Cardiac cirrhosis develops from long-term, recurrent congestive heart failure.
    • Acute liver failure can occur in patients with pre-existing cirrhosis, severe CHF, or sustained hepatic ischemia.

    Conclusions:

    • Liver dysfunction is a common and serious complication of severe congestive heart failure.
    • Understanding the mechanisms of hepatic injury in CHF is crucial for patient management.
    • Prompt recognition and treatment of underlying heart failure may mitigate liver damage and prevent acute liver failure.