JAUNDICE
The patient is colored or yellowing of the skin, especially in the whites of the eyes (sclera) Jaundice occurs when there is too much bilirubin in the blood instead of being eliminated through the bile into the intestines.
Helps to eliminate bilirubin from hemoglobin in old red blood cells or damaged. Must see, then, not only the symptom (jaundice), but the cause of bilirubin (bile pigment) can not be removed by your usual channel.
Another symptom is that the urine usually becomes darker, as the body eliminate bilirubin trying to look for other ways and does so through the kidney. There is also little appetite and a feeling of tiredness or lethargy.
Bilirubin is a compound poorly soluble in water and is potentially toxic and harmful.
Bilirubin is emulsified in the liver with glucuronic acid, which produces a bilirubin-called "direct", which is soluble, nontoxic and readily excreted through the bile.
High bilirubin
A high bilirubin levels is known as hyperbilirubinemia and this in turn is known as jaundice. Normal levels are about 1mg/dL jaundice. When these levels rise between 2 and 3 mg / dL, then there is clinical detection of jaundice.
When this increased bilirubin is conjugated directly or is eliminated in urine, which produces a dark color characteristic is known under the name coluria. As is the process of recovery from prolonged jaundice, dark urine can reduce the or disappear, but jaundice can still prevail, so that there is a sign that this has subsided.
Otherwise, when there is obstruction of the bile ducts or failure or deficiency accentuated hepatic excretion of bilirubin, it does not reach the intestine, which causes the brown coloration of the stool does not happen and the stools are whitish (the This is known as acholia).
Causes of high bilirubin:
The detection of high bilirubin can be direct or indirect. The hyperbilirubinemia indirect bilirubin is increased by increased catabolism of hemoglobin, as in the case of hemolytic anemias or Gilbert's syndrome, which is characterized by a decreased capacity of hepatic conjugation of bilirubin. A rare cause is the Crigler-Najjar syndrome, usually diagnosed at birth with jaundice accentuated than 20 mg / dL in type I Crigler-Najjar
Direct hyperbilirubinemia associated with liver problems, when the liver is weak and insufficient capacity of excretion.
Increased direct bilirubin can be caused by several reasons:
• Acute Hepatitis: When the liver suffers from acute inflammation, can cause marked elevations in bilirubin due to deficiency of hepatic excretion. Viral hepatitis (hepatitis A virus, hepatitis B), and hepatitis drug toxicity either paracetamol, or toxic mold), could cause liver damage and jaundice.
• Obstruction of the bile duct: this happens when there is presence of cholelithiasis or bile duct tumors or pancreas.
• Liver disease as primary biliary cirrhosis, excess drug hepatotoxicity and / or toxic products etc..
• Cirrhosis: Liver disease can cause the progressive elevation of bilirubin. It is noteworthy that increased bilirubin is a reaction that occurs relatively late in chronic liver disease, and reflects significant damage liver function.
• isolated elevations of direct bilirubin can be caused by Rotor syndrome and Dubin-Johnson.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=euetJ3Af8q0&feature=colike
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N5gI8f1vebQ&feature=relmfu
