Portal hypertension

Introduction: Portal hypertension

Portal hypertension: High blood pressure that occurs in the veins leading to the liver. It is usually a result of some sort of liver disease or problem. More detailed information about the symptoms, causes, and treatments of Portal hypertension is available below.

Symptoms of Portal hypertension

• Blood in vomit
• See symptoms of esophageal varices
• Blood in stool
• Dark stool
• See symptoms of gastrointestinal bleeding

See full list of 16 symptoms of Portal hypertension

Home Diagnostic Testing

Home medical testing related to Portal hypertension:

• High Cholesterol: Home Testing:
  • Home Cholesterol Tests
  • Home Triglycerides Tests
  • Home Blood Pressure Tests
• High Blood Pressure: Home Testing
  • Home Blood Pressure Monitors
  • Home Heart Tests
• Heart Health: Home Testing:
  • Heart Rate Monitors
  • Irregular Heartbeat Detection
  • Heart Electrocardiogram (ECG)
• Diet & Weight Loss: Home Testing:
  • Home Weight Testing
  • Home Body Fat Testing (BMI)
  • Home Body Fat Monitoring
  • Home Fitness Testing
• Diabetes: Related Home Testing:
  • Home Diabetes Tests
  • Home Blood Glucose Tests
  • Home Urine Glucose Tests
  • Home Urine Ketone Tests
  • Home Diabetes HbA1c Tests
  • Home Microalbumin Tests (Kidney)
  • Home Urine Protein Tests (Kidney)
  • Home Kidney Tests
  • Home Eye Tests

Medical Textbooks Online about Portal hypertension

Book excerpts: Copyright © 2008 Lippincott Williams & Wilkins. All rights reserved.

Wrongly Diagnosed with Portal hypertension?

• Misdiagnosis of Portal hypertension
• Underlying causes of Portal hypertension (possibly wrongly diagnosed)

Misdiagnosis and Portal hypertension

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Heart attacks can be undiagnosed: Although the most severe symptoms of heart attack are hard to miss, there are varying degrees of severity. It is altogether too common for people to die from...read more »

Heart attacks can be overdiagnosed: Although many people die from heart attacks, there are also many cases where people fear that they have a heart attack, but actually have something milder...read more »

Rare heart condition often undiagnosed: The rare heart condition called long QT syndrome can lead to episodes of palpitations and rapid heartbeat....read more »

Heart attack can be over-diagnosed: Although heart attack is often undiagnosed, leading to fatality, it can also be over-diagnosed. People become concerned...read more »

Blood pressure cuffs misdiagnose hypertension in children: One known misdiagnosis issue with hyperension, arises in relation to the simple equipment used to test blood pressure. The "cuff" around the arm to measure blood...read more »

Over-diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension in obese patients: A diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension, particularly pulmonary arterial hypertension, is often a misdiagnosis in obese patients....read more »

Obesity-related conditions undiagnosed in children: A variety of conditions are associated with obesity (see obesity), but these tend to be undiagnosed...read more »

Hypertension misdiagnosis common in children: Hypertension is often misdiagnosed in adults (see misdiagnosis of hypertension), but its misdiagnosis is even more likely in children. Some of the symptoms of...read more »

Read more about Misdiagnosis and Portal hypertension

Causes of Portal hypertension

• Cirrhosis of the liver
• Portal vein thrombosis
• Portal vein compression
• Portal vein abnormality
• Congenital narrowing of the portal vein

Read more about causes of Portal hypertension

More information about causes of Portal hypertension:

• Underlying causes of Portal hypertension
• Portal hypertension as a complication caused by other conditions
• Portal hypertension as a symptom

Videos for Portal hypertension

Patient Surveys for Portal hypertension

• Patient Profile Survey
  Take Survey  View Results
• Survey about the symptoms of your Portal hypertension
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Reseach about Portal hypertension

Visit our research pages for current research about Portal hypertension treatments.

Clinical Trials for Portal hypertension

The US based website ClinicalTrials.gov lists information on both federally and privately supported clinical trials using human volunteers.

Some of the clinical trials listed on ClinicalTrials.gov for Portal hypertension include:

• Phase II Study of Lactulose and Circadian Rhythms in Patients With Cirrhosis - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - lactulose
• Use of Sanvar With Endoscopic Treatment for the Control of Acute Variceal Bleeding - This study is not yet open for patient recruitment (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Sanvar® (vapreotide)
• Short Course Terlipressin for Control of Acute Variceal Bleeding - This study is currently recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - 24 hours Terlipressin
• A Study to Prevent Complications of High Blood Pressure Caused by Hepatitis in Patients With Cirrhosis - This study is no longer recruiting patients (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - timolol
• Prevention of Esophageal Varices by Beta-Adrenergic Blockers - This study has been completed (Current: 23 Nov 2006) - Timolol Maleate

See full list of 15 Clinical Trials for Portal hypertension

Stories from Users Related to Portal hypertension

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User Interactive Forums

Read about other experiences, ask a question about Portal hypertension, or answer someone else's question, on our message boards:

• I can not get a diagnosis. Please help.
• Tell us your medical story.
• Share your misdiagnosis story.
• What is the best treatment for this?
• See all the forums.

Definitions of Portal hypertension:

Abnormally increased pressure in the portal venous system, frequently seen in cirrhosis of the liver and other conditions causing obstruction of the portal vein. - (Source - Diseases Database)

Increase in blood pressure in the veins of the portal system caused by obstruction in the liver (often associated with alcoholic cirrhosis), causing enlargement of the spleen and collateral veins - (Source - WordNet 2.1)

Portal hypertension is listed as a "rare disease" by the Office of Rare Diseases (ORD) of the National Institutes of Health (NIH). This means that Portal hypertension, or a subtype of Portal hypertension, affects less than 200,000 people in the US population.
Source - National Institutes of Health (NIH)