PORTAL HYPERTENSION

Course overview

PORTAL HYPERTENSION IS INCREASED PRESSURE WITHIN THE PORTAL VENOUS SYSTEM. IT IS DETERMINED BY INCREASED PORTAL PRESSURE GRADIENT (THE DIFFERENCE IN PRESSURES BETWEEN THE PORTAL VENOUS PRESSURE AND THE PRESSURE WITHIN THE INFERIOR VENA CAVA OR THE HEPATIC VEIN. THIS PRESSURE GRADIENT IS NORMALLY LESS THAN OR EQUAL 5 MMHG. A PRESSURE GRADIENT OF 6 MMHG OR MORE BETWEEN THE PORTAL AND HEPATIC VEINS (OR INFERIOR VENA CAVA) SUGGESTS THE PRESENCE OF PORTAL HYPERTENSION IN MOST CASES. PORTAL HYPERTENSION IS THE MOST FREQUENT CAUSE OF HOSPITALIZATION, VARICEAL BLEED, LIVER TRANSPLANTATION, AND DEATH IN PATIENTS WITH CIRRHOSIS. THIS ACTIVITY ILLUSTRATES THE EVALUATION AND MANAGEMENT OF PORTAL HYPERTENSION AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR THE PATIENT WITH THIS CONDITION.