A pressure build up in the portal system is the veins in the liver get blocked. When this pressure exerted by the veins in the portal system gets too high, the blood backs up and tries to find other ways to get to the heart from where it gets oxygen.
This blood can also travel to the esophagus or to the skin of the abdomen or even the rectum. Identify the portal hypertension symptoms before it gets out of hand. Portal hypertension can be caused by a liver injury due to hepatitis. Excessive alcohol intake can also trigger it. Clots formed in the portal vein or other blockages in the veins from liver to the heart may also cause portal hypertension. For someone who is suffering from liver problems, the chances are very high that he may develop portal hypertension.
There are various portal hypertension symptoms that can be immediately identified. The first one is the gastrointestinal bleeding. Patients suffering from portal hypertension may complain of black stools or even blood in stools. There can also be vomiting of blood due to the damage of the varices. The second major symptom of portal hypertension can be Ascites in which the blood starts to accumulate in the abdomen. The stomach may swell or protrude because of this.
This also leads to a loss of appetite and breathlessness as the fluids press against the stomach as well as against the lungs. Because the liver functions poorly, the patients can also become victims of Encephalopathy which is related to forgetfulness or confusion. The levels of concentration in the patients also reduce drastically. There is also a reduction in the level of blood platelets and also reduction in the blood cells that are responsible for the formation of blood clots.
This happens due to the enlargement of spleen. Any normal wound begins to bleed uncontrollably as a result of this. Since there is also a reduction in the white blood cells, this may cause the patient to be more prone to infections as the white blood cells help in fighting the infections. If a person has a family history of liver diseases, then he is at a higher risk of developing portal hypertension. History of jaundice, blood transfusions and alcohol abuse is also said to cause this condition. All these serious portal hypertension symptoms indicate that you are suffering from portal hypertension.
But there is nothing to worry about as the condition can be treated, as this article on health related to hypertension can help you to identify the symptoms.
