[Current diagnostics and treatment of portal hypertension]

In industrial nations portal hypertension is mostly a consequence of liver cirrhosis and is a prerequisite for complications, such as esophageal varices and ascites. The pathophysiology of portal hypertension is complex. It is defined as an increase in the hepatovenous pressure gradient to > 5 mm Hg, with complications to be expected at ≥ 10 mm Hg. Measurement of the pressure of the hepatic vein occlusion is the gold standard for estimating portal pressure but this is not very practical. Liver elastography, in particular, has proven to be an effective noninvasive tool to identify patients with clinically significant portal hypertension (CSPH). Current treatment concepts address the CSPH even before the onset of complications to reduce the likelihood of decompensation. In addition to beta blockers, a transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt is the most important procedure to lower portal vein pressure and enables an improvement in the prognosis of selected patients.