GASTRIC VARICES

Course overview

GASTRIC VARICES ARE DILATED PORTOSYSTEMIC COLLATERAL BLOOD VESSELS THAT DEVELOP AS A COMPLICATION OF PORTAL HYPERTENSION OR EXTRAHEPATIC PORTAL VEIN OBSTRUCTION. BASED ON THE LOCATION AND RELATION TO THE ESOPHAGUS, GASTRIC VARICES ARE FURTHER CLASSIFIED INTO GASTROESOPHAGEAL VARICES ISOLATED GASTRIC VARICES. ACUTE BLEEDING FROM GASTRIC VARICES IS LIFE-THREATENING AND IS ASSOCIATED WITH HIGHER MORTALITY COMPARED TO ESOPHAGEAL VARICEAL BLEEDING. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, DIAGNOSIS, MANAGEMENT OF GASTRIC VARICES AND HIGHLIGHTS THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM'S ROLE IN EVALUATING AND MANAGING PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.