Esophageal varices are a direct result of high blood pressure in the portal vein. This condition is called portal hypertension. It causes blood to ...BleedingEsophagealVaricesMedicallyreviewedbyJudithMarcin,M.D.—WrittenbyRaihanKhalid—UpdatedonAugust28,2018SymptomsCausesRiskfactorsDiagnosisTreatmentOutlookPreventionWhatarebleedingesophagealvarices?Bleedingesophagealvaricesoccurwhenswollenveins(varices)inyourloweresophagusruptureandbleed.Theesophagusisthemusculartubethatconnectsyourmouthtoyourstomach.Theveinsinyourloweresophagusnearthestomachcanbecomeswollenwhenbloodflowtotheliverisreduced.Thismaybeduetoscartissueorabloodclotwithintheliver.Whenliverbloodflowisobstructed,bloodbuildsupinotherbloodvesselsnearby,includingthoseinyourloweresophagus.However,theseveinsaremuchsmaller,andthey’reincapableofcarryinglargeamountsofblood.Theydilateandswellasaresultoftheincreasedbloodflow.Theswollenveinsareknownasesophagealvarices.Esophagealvaricesmayleakbloodandeventuallyrupture.Thiscanleadtoseverebleedingandlife-threateningcomplications,includingdeath.Whenthishappens,it’samedicalemergency.Call911orgotothenearestemergencyroomrightawayifyou’reshowingsymptomsofbleedingesophagealvarices.Whatarethesymptomsofbleedingesophagealvarices?Esophagealvaricesareunlikelytocausesymptomsunlesstheyhaveruptured.Whenthishappens,youmayexperience:hematemesis(bloodinyourvomit)stomachpainlightheadednessorlossofconsciousnessmelena(blackstools)bloodystools(inseverecases)shock(excessivelylowbloodpressureduetobloodlossthatcanleadtomultipleorgandamage)Call911orgotothenearestemergencyroomimmediatelyifyouexperienceanyoftheabovesymptoms.Whatcausesbleedingesophagealvarices?Theportalveintransportsbloodfromseveralorgansinthegastrointestinaltractintotheliver.Esophagealvaricesareadirectresultofhighbloodpressureintheportalvein.Thisconditioniscalledportalhypertension.Itcausesbloodtobuildupinnearbybloodvessels,includingthoseinyouresophagus.Veinsbegintodilateandswellasaresultofincreasedbloodflow.Cirrhosisisthemostcommonca