PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - M Hennenberg
AU  - J Trebicka
AU  - T Sauerbruch
AU  - J Heller
TI  - Mechanisms of extrahepatic vasodilation in portal hypertension
AID  - 10.1136/gut.2007.144584
DP  - 2008 Sep 01
TA  - Gut
PG  - 1300--1314
VI  - 57
IP  - 9
4099  - http://gut.bmj.com/content/57/9/1300.short
4100  - http://gut.bmj.com/content/57/9/1300.full
SO  - Gut2008 Sep 01; 57
AB  - In liver cirrhosis, abnormal persistent extrahepatic vasodilation leads to hyperdynamic circulatory dysfunction which essentially contributes to portal hypertension. Since portal hypertension is a major factor in the development of complications in cirrhosis, the mechanisms underlying this vasodilation are of paramount interest. Extensive studies performed in cirrhotic patients and animals revealed that this vasodilation is associated on the one hand with enhanced formation of vasodilators, and on the other hand with vascular hyporesponsiveness to vasoconstrictors. The latter phenomenon has been termed “vascular hypocontractility”. It is caused by a combination of different mechanisms and factors described in this review.