title: Beta-blockers and portal hypertension, hemodynamic effects and prevention of recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding.
abstract: It has been demonstrated that propranolol might reduce portal pressure by reducing cardiac output in patients with cirrhosis and it has thus been hypothesized that beta-blockers may be useful as pharmacological treatment for portal hypertension (1). Subsequently, further studies have detailed the systemic and splanchnic circulatory effects of beta-blockers in patients with portal hypertension and in different models of portal hypertension in animals, and several controlled studies have been performed. This article reviews the hemodynamic effects of beta-blockers in portal hypertension, and reports clinical trials on the prevention of recurrent gastrointestinal bleeding.
authors.affiliation: Unité de Recherches de Physiopathologie Hépatique, INSERM U-24, Hôpital Beaujon, Clichy, France.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lebrec
mesh_terms: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008102:Liver Circulation / Q000187:drug effects; D012008:Recurrence; D013152:Splanchnic Circulation / Q000187:drug effects
chemical_list: D000319:Adrenergic beta-Antagonists