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- Asterixis is a tremor of the wrist that occurs when the wrist is extended (dorsiflexed).
- It is also often referred to as a "flapping tremor" or "liver flap."
- Asterixis results from arrhythmic, interrruptions of voluntary muscle contraction resulting in brief lapses in posture.
- It is most often associated with hepatic encephalopathy that results from abnormal metabolism of ammonia to urea, causing brain cell damage. The subsequent elevated levels of ammonia are due to liver failure.
- In addition to hepatic enephalopathy, asterixis can also be associated with the following conditions:
-- azotemia
-- cardon dioxide toxicity
-- metabolic encephalopathies
-- Wilson's Disease