title: Treating bleeding oesophageal varices with vasoactive agents: good value for money?
abstract: This article provides an editorial commentary to accompany the publication of an article on the economic evaluation of vasoactive agents used in the United Kingdom for acute bleeding oesophageal varices in patients with cirrhosis by Wechowski et al. From a clinical standpoint, the successful management of bleeding oesophageal varices should be based on definitive treatments such as therapeutic endoscopy or transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic stent shunt (TIPSS). Vasoactive agents such as terlipressin can be useful and potentially cost-effective additional therapy, however, particularly in patients where endoscopic treatment is likely to be delayed or is contraindicated.
authors.affiliation: Liver Unit, The Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh, University of Edinburgh, UK.
authors.forename: J N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Plevris
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Hayes
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003362:Cost-Benefit Analysis; D004932:Esophageal and Gastric Varices / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000191:economics / Q000209:etiology; D006801:Humans; D008236:Lypressin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000191:economics / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000077585:Terlipressin; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000191:economics* / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D008236:Lypressin; D000077585:Terlipressin