Portal hypertension is also a vascular disease. Hypertension or high blood pressure is a disease in which pressure of increases in blood. When hypertension happens in portal vein and its branches then the condition known as Portal hypertension. Portal vein is vein that supplies blood from digestive system to liver. It is often defined as a portal pressure gradient of 12 mm Hg or greater. portal pressure gradient can be defined as the difference in pressure between the portal vein and the hepatic veins.
Causes of Portal hypertension :
Following are some cause due to those portal hypertension may happen:
- Abuse of alcohol
- Liver damage
- Any liver injury due to hepatitis
Symptoms of Portal hypertension :
It is not necessary that in all cases the
Portal hypertension disease show any symptoms. If a person have liver disease at severe level than there are lots of chances of portal hypertension. But few are noticeable –
- Bleeding in intestine
- black, tarry stools or blood in the stools
- Blood in vomiting
- Development of fluid in the abdomen
- Percentage of platelets is reduced
Treatment of portal hypertension :
The treatment of portal hypertension includes medication, having proper diet, endoscopic therapy, radiology. Medications like propranolol and isosorbide helps to lower the pressure in the portal vein and reduce the risk of recurrent bleeding. The lactulose drug is used to treat confusion and other mental changes associated with encephalopathy.
By following dietary system and lifestyle changes we can easily treat portal Hypertension.
