Problem:
The healthcare provider (HCP) caring for a patient diagnosed with cirrhosis is interested in minimizing patient risk when validating the presence of varices. What diagnostic test(s) will the HCP prescribe to achieve this goal? EGD is not without its own risks and complications, thus noninvasive tests to determine the likelihood of the presence of high-risk varices have been validated in patients with compensated cirrhosis. The 2017 American Association for the Study of Liver Disease guidelines suggest that patients with a liver stiffness of <20 kPa based on transient elastography and a platelet count >150,000 cells/mm3 have <5% risk of having high-risk varices and thus can avoid EGD evaluation. Additional serologic studies (α1-antitrypsin, ANA, HBsAG, HCV antibody, alfa fetoprotein, etc.) can be obtained if the patient's history is consistent with other causes, or other common etiologies have been ruled out. Page Number and Header: 545-546, Gastroesophageal Varices Learning Objective: