Question

explain how a person with liver failure would become edematous. explain in terms of capillary exchange and include in the discussion capillary blood pressure and blood osmotic pressure

Answer 1

The liver produces the plasma protein albumin and that travels in the bloodstream which functions in maintain the oncotic pressure or colloid osmotic pressure in blood (osmotic pressure due to plasma proteins in blood displaces the water molecule).The liver failure causes the less production of the albumin causes decrease in the colloid osmotic pressure in blood( more water in the blood ).The low colloid osmotic pressure in blood causes the increase in the capillary pressure allow the fluid to move through the blood capillary wall  into the interstitial fluid .The fluid accumulated in the interstitial space leaks into the peritoneal cavity, forms the ascites and causes the edema.Thus, the person with liver failure becomes edematous.