portal hypertension
Meaning of portal hypertension: Portal hypertension is elevated blood pressure within the vein system draining the digestive organs into the liver, most often caused by cirrhosis.
Definition of portal hypertension
Portal hypertension is abnormally high blood pressure within the portal venous system, the network of veins that carries blood from the stomach, intestines, spleen, pancreas, and gallbladder into the liver. It most commonly develops when blood flow through the liver meets increased resistance, as occurs with the scarring of cirrhosis.
Less commonly, portal hypertension can result from a blood clot obstructing the portal vein itself or from conditions affecting blood flow either before or after it passes through the liver, rather than from disease within the liver tissue itself.
As pressure builds in the portal system, blood is diverted through smaller collateral vessels not normally used for this purpose, including veins around the esophagus and stomach, which can enlarge into varices at risk of serious bleeding. Portal hypertension can also lead to an enlarged spleen and to fluid accumulation within the abdominal cavity.
Used in a sentence
Endoscopy was performed to screen for esophageal varices related to the patient's portal hypertension.
Good to know
Portal hypertension can lead to esophageal varices, enlarged veins that carry a serious risk of bleeding, a complication distinct from the liver disease that most often causes the pressure increase in the first place.
Word origin
Where “portal hypertension” comes from
Formed from Latin porta, meaning gate, referring to the porta hepatis where the portal vein enters the liver, combined with hyper-, from Greek, meaning over or above, and tendere, from Latin, meaning to stretch, the roots that form hypertension.