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This book is a comprehensive and easy-to-access guide not only in the diagnosis of the various types of liver disease but in the management of specific disorders, including the particular nuances of the care of the patient with liver disease. It provides a resource to the practitioner caring for patients with liver disease for addressing everyday questions posed by patients and their families, as well as referring physicians, in a manner that can easily be conveyed. The spectrum covered includes appropriate testing and disease monitoring of patients, use of medications, supplements, alternative therapies and alcohol, operative risk assessment, implementation of health maintenance for patients with chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, identification and management of particular complications of cirrhosis, and appropriate referral for liver transplantation, as well as management of special populations.Written by experts in the field, Liver Disorders: A Point of Care Clinical Guide is a valuable resource for clinicians who treat patients with a variety of liver disorders.

Ascites is the most frequent and hepatorenal syndrome the most lethal complication in liver cirrhosis. In recent years, major progress has been made regarding effective treatment of these complications, thus reducing mortality in patients. This publication highlights and critically appraises recent achievements and novel advances, and at the same time provides the background needed to grasp novel concepts. Topics treated include complications of paracentesis, the right choice of plasma expanders, and selection of patients who will experience survival benefit from transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt. Hepatorenal syndrome, on the other hand, is responsible for a broad spectrum of manifestations caused by acute kidney injury, which until recently was considered a lethal condition. Drug treatments to improve renal function and prolong survival are therefore also discussed, including important issues for clinical outcome which are still under debate. Moreover, the role of combined kidney-liver transplantation versus conventional liver-only transplantation is addressed, as well as the use of vaptans in hyponatremia and their controversial role in the treatment of ascites. Renowned experts share their knowledge and expertise and provide an international perspective. Their contributions include up-to-date references and a bullet-point summary, making this publication most valuable for practitioners, clinicians and scientists in the field.

Increasingly, medicine in general and nephrology specifically is based on clinical trials and verifiable presumption. Still, however, much of everyday clinical practice is the consensus of pundits and experts unable to validate their suggestions beyond personal bias. In this unique volume, several core beliefs in renal medicine are examined and challenged. Starting as assignments for nephrology fellows, this book grew out of surprising `revelations'indicating that `the emperor has no clothes'. The book is suitable as a stimulus for provocative discussions for nephrologists, internists, house staff, and medical students.