#1 Analyze the question stem
First, it makes sense to recall what you know about the diagnosis the teaching is supposed to be about.
- What do you know about cirrhosis?
- What does cirrhosis do to a patient/client?
- And most importantly: What is the cause of liver function failure in cirrhosis?
Answer that for yourself before you look at the answer choices.
What is liver cirrhosis?
Cirrhosis is a late stage of scarring (fibrosis) in the liver that develops after years of chronic liver disease. The most common causes are chronic hepatitis B or C and alcohol-induced liver disease. Cirrhosis has a large number of signs and symptoms across body systems.
#2 Evaluate the answer options and eliminate the distractors
A. “Cirrhosis causes the liver to not filter or detoxify the blood.”
It is true that cirrhosis leads to the scarring of liver tissue, which impairs the liver’s ability to filter toxins from the blood effectively. Because this is a true statement, let’s not immediately rule out this answer.
B. “Cirrhosis increases bile production.”
This answer can be eliminated. Cirrhosis does not increase bile production, so this can not be the cause for liver function failure. On the contrary: decreased bile production is a symptom of liver failure.
C. “Cirrhosis impedes blood flow.”
We know that cirrhosis does impede blood flow, so we can leave this answer in for now.
D. “Cirrhosis prevents the ability of the liver to create red blood cells.”
This answer can be eliminated. Here, it is vital to read the answer attentively: New red blood cells are produced in the bone marrow, not the liver. The liver merely helps clean out old blood cells, it does not produce red blood cells. So, this answer is a wrong statement and can be eliminated.
#3 Choose your answer from the ones you didn’t eliminate
Between answer A and answer C, it comes down to what the main cause of liver function failure really is.
The content of answer A (“Cirrhosis causes the liver to not filter or detoxify the blood.”) is correct, but this is not the cause of liver failure – it is the result of liver failure.
Answer C really expresses how cirrhosis causes liver failure: cirrhosis comes with scarring and changes in the shape of the liver that impede proper blood flow, causing issues in the entire portal system and keeping the liver from functioning properly. Cirrhosis impeding blood flow is the main cause of liver function failure and C is the correct answer.
#4 Recap
Some answer choices might have hidden hurdles for you to trap over, such as answer option D here – if you only perceive “something about blood + liver function,” you might not rule out this distractor and not notice it claims the liver created red blood cells. Take enough time with each answer choice to be confident it not only fits the question as an answer, but also is based on correct assumptions.
On the other hand, make sure to think through how well an answer choice answers the exact question – its assumptions/statement may be true on its own, but not actually answer the question asked.
