Clinical Liver Disease

: Portal hypertension is a common complication of cirrhosis and is the result of increased intrahepatic resistance and splanchnic and systemic hemodynamic changes. Elevated portal pressure leads to the formation of portosystemic laterals, which comprise gastroesophageal varices. Once varices have developed, they tend to enlarge and may eventually bleed. Drs. Simonetto and Shah discuss the important and much-debated topic of the management of esophageal varices.