Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension is a serious condition when there is an abnormally high pressure in the blood vessels between the lungs and the heart.   When the  blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries get too high, the arteries in the lungs narrow (or constrict), reducing blood flow through the lungs and causing low levels of oxygen in the blood.  

Diagnosing pulmonary hypertension can be difficult because many of the signs and symptoms are similar to other lung diseases, like asthma and COPD. Early diagnosis is the key to preventing fatalities. Some of the most common symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath
• Fatigue
• Chest pain
• Dizziness and fainting
• Heart palpitations
• Edema (or swelling in your ankles and legs)

Preliminary tests include:

• Blood tests
• Pulmonary function test
• EKG
• Six-minute walk
• Echocardiogram 

If initial testing points toward pulmonary hypertension, the most accurate and useful test to get a definitive diagnosis for pulmonary hypertension is a right-heart cardiac catheterization.

Currently there is not a cure for pulmonary hypertension, but there are treatment options available and more are on the horizon. Treatments include conventional medical therapies and oral, inhaled, intravenous (into the vein) and subcutaneous (into the skin) options. Depending on the severity of PH, heart or lung transplant may also be an option.