Loading...
The American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases (AASLD) has published its fourth iteration of management guidelines for ascites — the most common manifestation of decompensated cirrhosis. The following are some of the major updates to the guidelines:
Drugs that lower arterial pressure, including angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors, angiotensin-receptor blockers, and even beta-blockers, should be avoided or, if used, should be accompanied by careful monitoring of blood pressure and renal function. This recommendation is based on emerging findings that arterial pressure is an independent predictor of survival in patients with cirrhosis.
Vaptans, which inhibit the action of vasopressin on its receptors, should be avoided in patient…