[Pharmacologic treatment of portal hypertension]

The objective of pharmacotherapy of portal hypertension is to reduce the portal pressure and the subsequent reduction of pressure and blood flow in the oesophageal varicosities in patients with portal hypertension. Pharmacological treatment is used in acute bleeding from oesophageal varices where it is a very useful first step for arresting haemorrhage and it does not require any special training or complicated equipment. Pharmacotherapy holds its place also in primary and secondary prophylaxis of oesophageal variceal bleeding. In particular a combination of pharmacotherapy with sclerotherapy is useful to reduce the occurrence of early recurrent bleeding. Among hitherto known vasoactive drugs the following ones are used most frequently: vasopressin, terlipressin, somatostatin, beta-blockers, nitrates and ACE inhibitors. Other drugs influencing portal haemodynamics are the subject of research.