Beware of esophageal varices

SKĐS - Esophageal varices are a common complication in patients with advanced liver disease, but many people still do not really understand the severity of the disease.

Esophageal varices are when the veins in the esophagus area are dilated and can rupture, causing gastrointestinal bleeding. This condition is common in patients with cirrhosis and liver cancer. This phenomenon occurs when a blood clot blocks normal blood flow to the liver or scar tissue forms in the liver. Small blood vessels cannot carry large volumes of blood clots and withstand great pressure from the blockage, so these blood vessels can become dilated, leading to leakage or rupture over time, causing severe bleeding.

All patients with acute bleeding due to esophageal varices require prompt emergency treatment. The ability to control the airway, vasopressors, antibiotics, blood transfusion combined with endoscopic intervention to stop bleeding.

Causes of esophageal varices

The most common cause of esophageal varices is cirrhosis. This scarring blocks the flow of blood in the portal vein, the main vein that carries blood from the stomach and intestines to the liver. This increases the pressure in the portal vein and other nearby veins, a condition known as portal hypertension. As a result, blood must seek other routes through smaller veins, such as those in the lower part of the esophagus. Thin-walled veins can swell under pressure, sometimes rupturing and bleeding.

Liver disease is a common cause of esophageal varices.

Causes of esophageal varices include:

• Due to severe cirrhosis caused by some liver diseases such as: hepatitis, alcoholic liver disease, fatty liver disease and biliary cirrhosis.
  
• Esophageal varices can be caused by a blood clot (thrombus) in the portal vein or a vein that drains into the portal vein (splenic vein).
  
• Due to parasitic infection. One type of fluke is schistosomiasis, a parasitic infection found in parts of Africa, South America, the Caribbean, the Middle East, and Southeast Asia. The parasite can damage the liver, lungs, intestines, and bladder.
  

Symptoms

Symptoms in the early stages of varicose veins often do not cause obvious symptoms. Only when the veins rupture will the following signs appear:

• Vomiting blood (fresh blood or coffee grounds)
• Black or bloody stools
• Dizziness, fatigue, low blood pressure, rapid pulse due to blood loss
• Supportive symptoms: jaundice, edema, ascites, hepatic encephalopathy (decompensated cirrhosis stage).
  

Therefore, people with related diseases such as cirrhosis should pay attention to any signs or symptoms of concern and should immediately go to a medical facility for timely examination and diagnosis. If you have been diagnosed with liver disease, ask your doctor about the risk of esophageal varices and how to reduce the risk of complications. You should undergo an endoscopy to check for esophageal varices.

If you have been diagnosed with esophageal varices, your doctor may instruct you to watch for signs of bleeding. Bleeding from esophageal varices is an emergency. Call your local emergency services immediately if you experience vomiting blood or bloody stools.

How to prevent esophageal varices

Some effective measures in preventing esophageal varices include:

Early control and treatment of chronic liver diseases, including liver enzyme monitoring, regular liver ultrasound, and adherence to treatment regimens.

Avoid alcohol completely, especially in people with signs of liver damage; at the same time, control hepatitis B and C well through vaccination or antiviral drugs if infected.

Regular gastrointestinal endoscopy, especially in people with cirrhosis or high risk, helps detect esophageal varices early even when there are no obvious symptoms.

Source: https://suckhoedoisong.vn/canhgiacvoigiantinhmachthucquan-169251130193604173.htm