several studies have found that patients with portal hypertension develop increased blood flow to the stomach. the physiological findings that correlate with worsening portal hypertensive gastropathy include an increased portal venous pressure gradient and decreased hepatic blood flow. biopsies of the stomach in patients with portal hypertensive gastropathy show ectatic (or dilated) blood vessels, evidence of bleeding by means of red blood cells in the lamina propria, and edema in the stomach wall.