Health Dictionary
Reliable, easy-to-read patient information on common medical conditions — written in plain language, free of jargon, and grounded in current evidence. Browse the most frequent diagnoses, understand what they mean for everyday life, and learn which steps and questions help you have a focused conversation with your doctor.
Metabolic Encephalopathy
Introduction
Overview
Overview
Metabolic encephalopathy is either secondary to other organ failure, or is the result of metabolic brain disease. It is associated with memory loss, vertigo, and generalized weakness.
Causes
Causes
Common Causes
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis
- Hyperadrenocorticism
- Hypercalcemia
- Hypercalcemia
- Hypercarbia
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Hypoglycemia
- Hyponatremia
- Hypothyroidism
- Hypoxia
- Ion imbalance
- Porphyria
- Porphyria
- Pyridoxine deficiency
- Sepsis
- Thiamine deficiency
- Uremia
- Vitamin B12 Deficiency
- Wernicke’s Encephalopathy
Causes by Organ System
| Cardiovascular | Ischemia |
| Chemical/Poisoning | Carbon monoxide poisoning, Cyanide poisoning, Mercury poisoning, Toxins |
| Dental | No underlying causes |
| Dermatologic | No underlying causes |
| Drug Side Effect | Drugs |
| Ear Nose Throat | No underlying causes |
| Endocrine | Diabetic Ketoacidosis, Hyperadrenocorticism, Hypercalcemia, Hyperparathyroidism, Hyponatremia, Hypothyroidism, Porphyria, Wernicke’s Encephalopathy, |
| Environmental | No underlying causes |
| Gastroenterologic | Liver disease, Porphyria, |
| Genetic | No underlying causes |
| Hematologic | Hypercalcemia, Hypercarbia, Hypoglycemia, Hypoxia, Ion imbalance, Porphyria, Pyridoxine deficiency, Sepsis, Thiamine deficiency, Uremia, Vitamin B12 Deficiency |
| Iatrogenic | Dialysis, Organ transplantation |
| Infectious Disease | Sepsis |
| Musculoskeletal/Orthopedic | No underlying causes |
| Neurologic | Dopamine deficiency, Epilepsy, Hyperosmolar coma, Inadequate brain perfusion |
| Nutritional/Metabolic | Diabetic Ketoacidosis |
| Obstetric/Gynecologic | No underlying causes |
| Oncologic | No underlying causes |
| Ophthalmologic | No underlying causes |
| Overdose/Toxicity | No underlying causes |
| Psychiatric | No underlying causes |
| Pulmonary | No underlying causes |
| Renal/Electrolyte | Dialysis, Electrolyte disturbance, Renal failure |
| Rheumatology/Immunology/Allergy | No underlying causes |
| Sexual | No underlying causes |
| Trauma | Heat stroke |
| Urologic | Uremia |
| Miscellaneous | No underlying causes |
- Carbon monoxide poisoning
- Cyanide poisoning
- Diabetic Ketoacidosis
- Dialysis
- Dopamine deficiency
- Drugs
- Electrolyte disturbance
- Epilepsy
- Heat stroke
- Hyperadrenocorticism
- Hypercalcemia
- Hypercarbia
- Hyperosmolar coma
- Hyperparathyroidism
- Hypoglycemia
- Hyponatremia
- Hypothyroidism
- Hypoxia
- Inadequate brain perfusion
- Ion imbalance
- Ischemia
- Liver disease
- Mercury poisoning
- Organ transplantation
- Porphyria
- Pyridoxine deficiency
- Renal failure
- Sepsis
- Thiamine deficiency
- Toxins
- Uremia
- Vitamin B12 Deficiency
- Wernicke’s Encephalopathy
References
References
Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1] Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Luke Rusowicz-Orazem, B.S.