Abstract
DefinitionPortal hypertension develops progressively during the natural course of chronic liver disease and is the main prognostic factor for the disease. Its consequences (such as haemorrhaging due to rupture of oesophageal or gastric varices, ascites, hepatorenal syndrome, spontaneous bacterial peritonitis, hepatic encephalopathy and hepatopulmonary syndrome) are the main cause of death and liver transplantation in patients with cirrhosis. Clinical manifestationsThe clinical manifestations of portal hypertension can appear when the portal pressure gradient rises above the threshold of 10mm Hg, a value that defines clinically significant portal hypertension. TreatmentThe treatment of choice for acute variceal haemorrhage is the combination of endoscopic treatment, preferably endoscopic band ligation, and vasoconstrictor drug treatment, with somatostatin or terlipressin. Oesophageal variceal haemorrhage has high mortality (greater than 20%). It is therefore essential to establish preventive treatments, both primary and recurrence.
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