HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS REGISTER		Author Keyword(s) Vol Page [Advanced]

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) All Versions of this Article: gut.2007.144584v1 57/9/1300    most recent Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this link to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Add article to my folders Download to citation manager Request Permissions Google Scholar Articles by Hennenberg, M Articles by Heller, J PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Hennenberg, M Articles by Heller, J Topic Collections GUT Recent advances in basic science

Mechanisms of extrahepatic vasodilation in portal hypertension

Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Bonn, Bonn, Germany

Correspondence to:
Dr M Hennenberg, Department of Internal Medicine I, University of Bonn, Sigmund-Freud-Str. 25, D-53105 Bonn, Germany; Martin.Hennenberg{at}ukb.uni-bonn.de

ABSTRACT
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.