Decompensated cirrhosis is defined by the development of major complications of advanced liver disease and portal hypertension. In this episode, we review the core complications of decompensated cirrhosis, including esophageal variceal bleeding, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatorenal syndrome, and hepatic encephalopathy. Topics covered include: • What decompensated cirrhosis means • Portal hypertension and advanced liver disease • Esophageal varices and variceal bleeding • Initial management of suspected variceal hemorrhage • Octreotide, antibiotics, endoscopy, and band ligation • Ascites and spontaneous bacterial peritonitis • Diagnostic paracentesis and ascitic fluid interpretation • SBP antibiotic therapy and albumin use • Hepatorenal syndrome and kidney dysfunction in cirrhosis • HRS-AKI diagnosis and treatment principles • Hepatic encephalopathy and altered mental status • Precipitating factors for hepatic encephalopathy • Lactulose and rifaximin therapy • Practical emergency and critical care considerations • Liver transplantation considerations Watch the full video on YouTube:https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eESt2fgkKyE 📚 Join the WhiteBoard Medicine Patreon Community https://www.patreon.com/WhiteBoardMedicine Join a growing emergency medicine, critical care, and resuscitation education community built around high-yield clinical learning. Patreon members get access to: • Comprehensive Study Guides • Bedside One-Pagers • Clinical Reviews • Mini-Courses • Practice Questions • Ad-Free Videos • Structured Topic Collections 🌐 WhiteBoard Medicine Website Explore our growing library of critical care and emergency medicine content: https://www.whiteboardmedicine.com ⚠️ Educational Disclaimer: This content is intended for educational purposes only and should not be used as a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, specialist consultation, or individualized patient care. Full disclaimer: https://whiteboardmedicine.com/disclaimer

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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