What is a common complication of cirrhosis that arises from portal vein hypertension?

Esophageal varices are a common complication of cirrhosis that occur due to portal vein hypertension. When liver cirrhosis leads to increased portal pressure, it causes the veins in the esophagus to become engorged. These engorged veins are referred to as varices and are at risk of rupture, leading to potentially life-threatening gastrointestinal bleeding. This condition is particularly concerning because patients with cirrhosis often have coagulopathy due to impaired liver function, thus exacerbating the consequences of any bleeding that might occur.

Other complications associated with cirrhosis, such as ascites, hepatic encephalopathy, and hepatorenal syndrome, are also significant but arise from different mechanisms related to liver dysfunction and portal hypertension. Ascites refers to the accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity due to high portal pressure and low albumin levels, hepatic encephalopathy relates to the buildup of toxins due to liver failure affecting brain function, and hepatorenal syndrome involves a decline in kidney function secondary to severe liver disease. Each of these complications arises from the overall effects of liver failure and portal hypertension, but esophageal varices specifically are a direct consequence of the increased pressure in the portal venous system leading to the dilation of veins in