PRIMARY BILIARY CHOLANGITIS

Course overview

PRIMARY BILIARY CHOLANGITIS (PBC), FORMERLY TERMED PRIMARY BILIARY CIRRHOSIS, IS AN AUTOIMMUNE DISORDER THAT LEADS TO THE GRADUAL DESTRUCTION OF INTRAHEPATIC BILE DUCTS, RESULTING IN PERIPORTAL INFLAMMATION AND CHOLESTASIS. PROLONGED HEPATIC CHOLESTASIS SUBSEQUENTLY CAUSES CIRRHOSIS AND PORTAL HYPERTENSION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE EVALUATION AND TREATMENT OF PRIMARY BILIARY CHOLANGITIS AND THE IMPORTANCE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN RECOGNIZING AND MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.