Portal hypertension: symptoms, causes, treatment

If blood circulation is disturbed in the vessels of the venous system, such as the veins coming from the stomach, pancreas, spleen, and also in the veins of the liver, accompanied by blockage of the capillaries, a pressure increase begins. Such a syndrome in medicine is called nothing but portal hypertension.

Most often, portal hypertension arises from a variety of liver diseases, and, first of all, from cirrhosis - a pathological modification of the connective tissues of the liver. Such changes are facilitated by various forms of hepatitis, as well as excessive abuse of alcoholic beverages and tobacco products. Cirrhosis causes a strong blockage of fibrous tissue, which greatly complicates the flow of blood to the body and consequently causes pressure jumps. Sometimes portal hypertension occurs when the body is infected with parasitic infections, it is less likely to identify clear causes.

Unfortunately, not always a person can determine that he has had portal hypertension. Symptoms of this disease may not manifest itself clearly. But if there is a slightest chance of cirrhosis, the chances of developing the syndrome are significantly increased. In addition, the symptomatology can be manifested by bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract, which is indicated by vomiting and stools, colored in brown or black. Also, hypertension can result in ascites (accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity), encephalopathy (impaired brain function due to malfunctioning of the liver) or a decrease in the number of white blood cells in the blood that can resist the formation of blood clots. Diagnosis of portal hypertension is possible with the help of an X-ray or endoscopy. As a rule, indications of such studies are the detection of ascites or dilated veins during various examinations.

Any disease, no matter how easy or heavy it may be, must be cured. Portal hypertension, whose treatment is reduced to eliminating the causes that caused it, is no exception. Basically, conservative methods are used, which cope well with the disease in the early stages of development. Although the possibility of surgical treatment is not excluded. It is usually resorted to if the ailment is already a little started or if there are any complications on its background. Also, the operation is urgently performed in the case when the enlarged veins begin to burst and create bleeding, which is a considerable danger to the life of the patient.

Treatment of portal hypertension with the help of therapy is reduced to carrying out measures aimed at the prevention and elimination of certain complications and causes of the onset of the disease. Various ways to reduce portal pressure, stop bleeding from the veins in the esophagus and prevent hypoxia, cure liver failure. If the medication failed to achieve the required results, the patient is referred for surgery. Contraindications to surgical treatment can be various concomitant diseases of internal organs, malignant tumors, acute form of tuberculosis, pregnancy or advanced age of the patient.

In any case, the prevention of disease is always better than its treatment. Therefore, those people whose health status has to develop portal hypertension, it is recommended to lead the most correct way of life in order to reduce the likelihood of diseases that lead to blood flow disorders. It is necessary to completely abandon the use of alcohol in any form, as well as seriously think about giving up such a harmful habit as smoking.