title: Portal hypertension: pathophysiology, diagnosis and management.
abstract: Portal hypertension is an important complication of liver disease. As a result of elevated pressures within the portal vein several complications can arise, including the development of oesophageal and gastric varices, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy as well as complications secondary to circulatory dysfunction, such as hepatorenal syndrome, portopulmonary syndrome and hepatopulmonary syndrome. This review outlines the pathogenesis and diagnosis of portal hypertension and outlines the management of these various important clinical sequelae. The management of oesophageal and gastric varices is particularly important, and both the emergency management together with prophylactic management of this condition are described.
authors.affiliation: Gastroenterology and Hepatology, Eastern Health, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bloom
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Kemp
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lubel
mesh_terms: D003952:Diagnostic Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D019468:Disease Management; D006801:Humans; D006975:Hypertension, Portal / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy; D011169:Portal Vein / Q000503:physiopathology*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D018608:Ultrasonography, Doppler; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D014690:Venous Pressure / Q000502:physiology*
keywords: ascites; cirrhosis; encephalopathy; portal hypertension; varices