Question

Which medication side effect can cause hyper-ammonia and altered mental status?

Answer 1

Hepatic encephalopathy can cause hyper-ammonia and altered mental status due to elevated levels of ammonia in the blood.

Step-by-step explanation:

The medication side effect that can cause hyper-ammonia and altered mental status is hepatic encephalopathy. Hepatic encephalopathy is a reversible neuropsychiatric abnormality that occurs in the setting of liver failure, whether chronic as in cirrhosis or acutely. One of the main features of hepatic encephalopathy is the elevated levels of ammonia in the blood, which can lead to altered mental status. The increased levels of ammonia are toxic to the central nervous system and can cause symptoms such as confusion, disorientation, and even coma.