Hyperammonemia is a metabolic condition characterized by elevated levels of ammonia in the blood, and may result in irreversible brain damage if not treated early and thoroughly. Hyperammonemia can be classified into primary or secondary hyperammonemia depending on the underlying pathophysiology. Detoxification of ammonia is mainly accomplished by the urea cycle in periportal hepatocytes. If the urea cycle is directly affected by a defect of any of the involved enzymes or transporters, this results in primary hyperammonemia.
Category
Inherited metabolic disorder
Brite
Human diseases in ICD-11 classification [BR:br08403]
05 Endocrine, nutritional or metabolic diseases
Metabolic disorders
Inborn errors of metabolism
5C50 Inborn errors of amino acid or other organic acid metabolism
H01398 Primary hyperammonemia (Urea cycle disorders)
Pathway-based classification of diseases [BR:br08402]
Amino acid metabolism
nt06010 Urea cycle
H01398 Primary hyperammonemia (Urea cycle disorders)