A patient with minimal hepatic encephalopathy is still able to drive but can be a hazard if he or she does so.
Hazardous practices for a patient with minimal hepatic encephalopathy when driving:
(1) a tendency to make illegal turns
(2) failure to comply with signs and signals
(3) navigation difficulties
(4) poor response times
(5) impaired attention span and/or confusion
Not surprisingly a patient with minimal hepatic encephalopathy has a high risk of being involved in a traffic accident. Unfortunately the patient is unaware that there is a problem.
Additional factors that may contribute to poor performance:
(1) drinking
(2) medications
(3) visual and auditory impairments
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