During recovery from hepatic coma, a high-fiber diet is recommended primarily to decrease which parameter?

During recovery from hepatic coma, a high-fiber diet is recommended primarily to decrease which parameter?

• A. To prevent diarrhea
• B. To prevent dyslipidemia
• C. To decrease serum ammonia
• D. To decrease hypokalemia

Answer: (C)

In hepatic coma recovery, lowering serum ammonia is the main goal because ammonia contributes to neurotoxicity. A high-fiber diet helps by increasing stool bulk and speeding intestinal transit, which reduces the time gut bacteria have to convert dietary protein and urea into ammonia and lowers how much ammonia is absorbed into the bloodstream. By diminishing gut-produced and absorbed ammonia, serum ammonia levels fall, helping improve mental status. The other options aren’t the primary mechanism here—they address other issues rather than the ammonia burden driving hepatic encephalopathy.

In hepatic coma recovery, lowering serum ammonia is the main goal because ammonia contributes to neurotoxicity. A high-fiber diet helps by increasing stool bulk and speeding intestinal transit, which reduces the time gut bacteria have to convert dietary protein and urea into ammonia and lowers how much ammonia is absorbed into the bloodstream. By diminishing gut-produced and absorbed ammonia, serum ammonia levels fall, helping improve mental status. The other options aren’t the primary mechanism here—they address other issues rather than the ammonia burden driving hepatic encephalopathy.