Esophagogastric varices are the result of
a. portal hypertension resulting in diversion of blood from a high-pressure area to a low-pressure area.
b. superficial mucosal erosions as a result of increased stress levels.
c. proulcer forces breaking down the mucosal resistance.
d. inflammation and ulceration secondary to nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug use.
A
Esophagogastric varices are engorged and distended blood vessels of the esophagus and proximal stomach that develop as a result of portal hypertension secondary to hepatic cirrhosis, a chronic disease of the liver that results in damage to the liver sinusoids. Without adequate sinusoid function, resistance to portal blood flow is increased, and pressures within the liver are elevated. This leads to a rise in portal venous pressure (portal hypertension), causing collateral circulation to divert portal blood from areas of high pressure within the liver to adjacent areas of low pressure outside the liver, such as into the veins of the esophagus, spleen, intestines, and stomach.
You might also like to view...
The nurse is teaching the parents of a child with a hematologic disorder about the functions of the various blood cells
The nurse determines that the teaching was successful when the parents state which blood cell as being primarily responsible for blood clotting? A) Granulocytes B) Erythrocytes C) Thrombocytes D) Leukocytes
For which asthma patient is a beta2-adrenergic agonist best delivered by nebulizer?
a. 3-year-old child who has a broken leg b. 16-year-old boy who has a broken nose c. 25-year-old woman who is 8 months pregnant d. 60-year-old man who has an enlarged prostate gland
Which of the following best defines craniosynostosis?
a. premature ossification of suture lines resulting in early fusion of the bones of the skull b. sinus openings into the cranium allowing for changes in intracranial pressure c. wider spaces than normal between the bones of the cranium d. changes in the size and shape of the skull due to the absence of lymph and sinus openings
A constant presence of a disease within a population is referred to as
1. Epidemic 2. Pandemic 3. Endemic 4. Herd immunity