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Sub-Category:

Portal Hypertension

Sub-category: Other Liver Conditions

Symptoms:
abdominal swelling (ascites); enlarged spleen (splenomegaly); vomiting blood (hematemesis) due to variceal bleeding; dark, tarry stools (melena); confusion or altered mental state in severe cases (hepatic encephalopathy); fatigue

Root Cause:
Increased blood pressure within the portal venous system, often due to cirrhosis, fibrosis, or a blockage in the portal vein.

How it's Diagnosed: videos
Clinical evaluation, imaging studies (e.g., Doppler ultrasound, CT scan, MRI), endoscopy to assess varices, and measurement of hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG).

Treatment:
Addressing the underlying cause, managing complications like varices, ascites, and encephalopathy. Treatments include beta-blockers, endoscopic variceal banding, TIPS (transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt), and in severe cases, liver transplantation.

Medications:
Nonselective beta-blockers (e.g., propranolol , nadolol ) to reduce portal pressure; vasoactive agents (e.g., octreotide ) to control variceal bleeding; diuretics (e.g., spironolactone , furosemide ) for ascites; antibiotics (e.g., norfloxacin ) to prevent infections in patients with varices.

Prevalence: How common the health condition is within a specific population.
Common among patients with advanced liver disease; prevalence depends on the underlying cause (e.g., cirrhosis affects approximately 2-3 per 1,000 adults annually).

Risk Factors: Factors or behaviors that increase the likelihood of developing the condition.
Chronic liver disease, cirrhosis, hepatitis B or C infection, alcohol abuse, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and thrombosis in the portal vein.

Prognosis: The expected outcome or course of the condition over time.
Varies depending on the underlying cause and effectiveness of treatment. With proper management, complications can be controlled, though severe cases may require liver transplantation.

Complications: Additional problems or conditions that may arise as a result of the original condition.
Variceal bleeding, ascites, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatic encephalopathy, hepatorenal syndrome, and increased mortality risk in advanced cases.