Metabolic Encephalopathy Causes & Risks

Causes

Metabolic encephalopathy is caused by:

• Poisoning
• Diseases (eg, cirrhosis , hepatitis , diabetes , heart disease , renal failure )
• Medical conditions that cause blood circulation to bypass the liver

Risk Factors

These factors increase your chance of developing metabolic encephalopathy:

• Acute renal failure (renal disease)
• Vitamin B1 deficiency
• Hypoglycemia
• Hyperosmolar hyperglycemic crisis
• Metabolic acidosis
• Hyponatremia
• Hypernatremia
• Hypercalcemia
• Sepsis
• Hashimoto's thyroiditis
• Acute adrenocortical insufficiency
• Meningitis
• Encephalitis
• Hypothermia
• Hyperthermia
• Previous history of brain injury (eg, tumor , stroke )

Tell your doctor if you have any of these risk factors.

If you have liver problems, the risk of metabolic encephalopathy is increased by:

• Low oxygen levels in the blood
• Infections
• Major surgery
• Any serious illness that causes changes in the body’s chemical make-up or metabolism
• Use of certain medicines, such as sedatives and narcotics
• Bleeding within the intestines
• Persistent vomiting or diarrhea that lowers blood potassium levels

The following toxic overdoses can also increase your risk of the condition:

• Alcohol intoxication
• Sedative-hypnotic overdose
• Lead poisoning
• Carbon monoxide poisoning