Portal hypertension is high blood pressure in the portal venous system.
These are the veins that come from the stomach, intestines, spleen, and pancreas and merge into the portal vein that further branches out into smaller vessels and extends to the liver.
If the vessels in the liver become blocked, this can contribute to liver damage and interrupted blood flow. As a result, the pressure builds up in the portal venous system.
Causes of portal hypertension
The main cause of portal hypertension is the obstruction in the vessels that connect to the liver. This can result from cirrhosis of the liver and the scar tissue that forms in cirrhosis as a means to heal the liver. But instead of healing, this scar tissue blocks these vessels, reducing blood flow and increasing pressure.
Other causes of portal hypertension include blood clots, a parasitic infection, and focal nodular hyperplasia, which is a disease commonly seen in HIV patients.
In some cases of portal hypertension, the cause is never found.
Signs and symptoms of portal hypertension
Signs and symptoms of portal hypertension include gastrointestinal bleeding which is evident in tarry or bloody stool, ascites, confusion or forgetfulness due to poor liver function, and reduced levels of platelets or white blood cells.