Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Portal hypertension in pets - causes, signs, and treatment
By Buob, S et al.·Published in Journal of veterinary internal medicine·2011·Department of Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Portal hypertension: pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment.
Plain-English summary
Portal hypertension is a condition where there is increased pressure in the blood vessels that carry blood to the liver. In pets, this condition is usually diagnosed based on related problems like abnormal blood vessel connections, fluid buildup in the abdomen, or brain issues due to liver problems. Since direct measurement of this pressure is rare in veterinary practice, vets often look for these signs to make a diagnosis. Treatment mainly focuses on managing these related issues rather than the hypertension itself. This review aims to provide updated information on how portal hypertension works, how it's diagnosed, and how it can be treated.
Abstract
Portal hypertension (PH) is the result of increased vascular resistance in the portal circulation, increased portal venous blood flow, or both. In veterinary medicine, where portal pressure is seldom measured directly, the diagnosis of PH often is inferred from identification of associated complications including multiple acquired portosystemic shunts, ascites, and hepatic encephalopathy. Likewise, treatment of PH primarily is aimed at controlling these complications. The goal of this review is to provide an update on the pathophysiology, diagnosis, and treatment of PH. The review draws from information in the veterinary hepatology literature, reviews, and consensus statements in human hepatology and the literature on experimental models of PH.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21382073/