Clinical Nutrition

Lesson 18: Cirrhosis and Portal hypertension

Clinical symptoms

• Gastro intestinal disturbances like nausea, vomiting anorexia, distention and epigastric pain.
• Jaundice
• Edema, ascites, esophageal varices gastro intestinal bleeding, anemia – especially macrocytic anemia.
• Steatorrhoea
• Circulatory changes - reddening of the palms (palmar erythema)
• Endocrine changes - loss of libido and hair loss
• The liver may be shrunken or enlarged.
• Portal hypertension

Hepato cellular damage, necrosis of hepatocytes and fibrosis are characteristic of cirrhosis and it may lead to hepato cellular carcinoma.