Hepatic encephalopathy is a brain disorder that occurs as a result of liver disease. It is caused when toxins normally eliminated by the liver build up in the blood and eventually affect the brain. It may occur in people with chronic or acute liver disease or in patients whose liver is bypassed with a portosystemic shunt. Hepatic encephalopathy is particularly common in people with cirrhosis, affecting around four out of ten patients with this condition. 

Symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy include personality changes, impaired memory, degeneration of cognitive function, confusion, slurred speech, altered sleeping patterns, and loss of consciousness. The onset of hepatic encephalopathy may be sudden or gradual, but many symptoms of hepatic encephalopathy may be reversed if diagnosis and treatment are sought promptly.

Treatment of hepatic encephalopathy may involve addressing underlying medical issues, dietary changes, surgery, hospitalization, and medication. Drug classes commonly used to treat the condition include osmotically-acting laxatives, intestinal antibiotics, and aminoglycoside antibiotics.