Abstract
Although the mortality due to first variceal bleeding has decreased during recent decades1, intestinal hemorrhage is still one of the leading causes of death in patients with cirrhosis. It occurs in 30% of patients with cirrhosis, with each bleeding episode bearing a mortality risk of 30–50%1. Therefore, high-risk patients — commonly defined by the presence of esophageal varices with a diameter of at least 5 mm — should receive prophylactic treatment2, 3. The risk of bleeding in these patients amounts to around 40% within 2 years after diagnosis of varices4.
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© 2004 Springer Science+Business Media Dordrecht
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Schepke, M., Sauerbruch, T. (2004). Prevention of first variceal bleeding: endoscopy. In: Groszmann, R.J., Bosch, J. (eds) Portal Hypertension in the 21st Century. Springer, Dordrecht. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1042-9_24
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-007-1042-9_24
Publisher Name: Springer, Dordrecht
Print ISBN: 978-94-010-3774-7
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