Published in:
01-09-2018 | Portal Hypertension (J Gonzalez-Abraldes and E Tsochatzis, Section Editors)
Is Exercise Beneficial and Safe in Patients with Cirrhosis and Portal Hypertension?
Published in: Current Hepatology Reports | Issue 3/2018
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Purpose of Review
In spite of the many health benefits attributed to exercise, reports summarizing the literature in patients with cirrhosis are scarce. We aimed to provide a comprehensive review focusing on potential safety considerations in cirrhosis.
Recent Findings
Diminished exercise capacity in patients with cirrhosis worsens their prognosis before and after liver transplantation. Exercise poses unique challenges in this population, raising questions of safety—worsening portal hypertension and malnutrition—and efficacy. In this review, we show that the balance of evidence supports supervised exercise programs with demonstrable benefits with respect to portal pressure, functional capacity, and muscle mass indexes. There are also benefits regarding their emotional function and perceived general health. Key to interpreting the benefits and risk profile of exercise is the impact of non-selective beta-blockage.
Summary
Patients with cirrhosis, with or without portal hypertension, should receive an exercise prescription as part of their standard of care. However, some standard safety recommendations should be universally followed.