Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 13, 2026

Visualization and Analysis of Blood Flow and Oxygen Consumption in Hepatic Microcirculation: Application to an Acute Hepatitis Model
Published on: August 4, 2012
Hypoxic hepatopathy: pathophysiology and prognosis
Richard Birrer1, Yasuharu Takuda, Tsuyoshi Takara
1Medicine, St. Joseph's University Medical Center, USA. rbbirrer@yahoo.com
Background:
Dramatic transient elevation in serum concentrations of hepatic enzymes occurs in some patients following a hypo-perfusion state. This entity is variously termed "shock liver" or "ischemic hepatitis", since the pathogenesis is considered to be ischemia. However, hypotension or shock is not always present.
Methods:
We analyzed the medical records of 293 patients (322 episodes) who had a hypoxic state and were admitted to the critical care units of two general hospitals over a 13-year period.
Results:
Hepatic injury was identified in about 1% of patients in critical care admissions. In addition to hypotension, the causes for hepatic injury were a low flow state secondary to congestive heart failure and hypoxia from sepsis or respiratory failure and hypoxemia from a variety of etiologies. These values were mostly normalized within several days when the hypoxic etiology was corrected and a serious co-morbid state did not intervene.
Conclusion:
Marked elevation of hepatic enzymes can be identified not only in patients with hypotension, but also in normotensive patients in hypoxic state. Thus, the condition is appropriately termed hypoxic hepatopathy.
Related Concept Videos
Cirrhosis II: Pathophysiology
Hepatic Encephalopathy
Hypoxia
Types of Hypoxia
There are four primary types of hypoxia, each resulting from a different cause:
1. Anemic hypoxia: This type occurs due to insufficient oxygen delivery caused by a lack of red blood cells (RBCs) or RBCs with abnormal or...
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Pathophysiologic Assessment and Liver Function Test
Acute Respiratory Failure-II
The underlying physiological abnormalities that contribute to hypoxemic respiratory failure include:
Effect of Hepatic Disease on Pharmacokinetics: Drug Dosing and Hepatic Blood Flow

