College of Massage Therapists of British Columbia (CMTBC) Practice Exam

What condition is portal hypertension commonly associated with?

1. Fatty liver disease

2. Hepatitis B

3. Cirrhosis of the liver

4. Alcoholic liver disease

The correct answer is: Cirrhosis of the liver

Portal hypertension is a condition characterized by increased pressure in the portal venous system, which carries blood from the gastrointestinal tract and spleen to the liver. It is most commonly associated with cirrhosis of the liver, a condition that results from chronic liver damage leading to scarring (fibrosis) of the liver tissue. Cirrhosis disrupts the normal blood flow through the liver due to the formation of scar tissue, causing an increase in pressure within the portal vein, which ultimately leads to portal hypertension. The association of portal hypertension with cirrhosis is significant because cirrhosis can result from various underlying causes, including chronic viral hepatitis, excessive alcohol consumption, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, making it a central issue in the pathophysiology of portal hypertension. The complications arising from portal hypertension, such as varices, ascites, and splenomegaly, are often seen in patients with cirrhosis due to the increased resistance to portal blood flow. While fatty liver disease, hepatitis B, and alcoholic liver disease can also lead to liver damage, not all of them directly lead to cirrhosis or consequently cause portal hypertension with the same consistency as cirrhosis itself. This makes