Pulmonary Hypertension

"Pulmonary" means "in the lungs," and "hypertension" means "high blood pressure." Pulmonary hypertension is a condition that describes when the pulmonary arteries (the vessels that carry blood from the heart to the lungs) narrow, become blocked or damaged so they cannot carry as much blood. This puts strain on the heart because it has to work harder to try to force blood through. The blood flow causes pressure to build up in the narrowed arteries, which results in high blood pressure. Pulmonary hypertension is a serious health problem.

Pulmonary hypertension may not cause any symptoms in its early stages. As the disease progresses, symptoms get worse and can include:

Symptoms of pulmonary hypertension usually limit a person's ability to exercise and do other activities.

Many things can cause pulmonary hypertension. However, sometimes the cause is not known. When the cause of pulmonary hypertension isn't known, the disorder is called primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH) or idiopathic pulmonary hypertension (IPH).

Secondary pulmonary hypertension is when pulmonary hypertension develops from another medical condition. Common causes are breathing problems such as emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Other causes are congestive heart failure, birth defects in the heart, chronic pulmonary thromboembolism (old blood clots in the pulmonary arteries), acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), cirrhosis (a chronic liver disease), lupus, pulmonary fibrosis (a condition that causes scarring in the lungs) and certain medicines.

Both primary and secondary pulmonary hypertension are usually permanent conditions, although treatment can improve symptoms and long-term outcomes in some people.

The signs of pulmonary hypertension can be similar to the signs of many other health problems, which can make it difficult to diagnose. To find out if you have pulmonary hypertension, your doctor may do a test called an echocardiogram. For this test, an instrument called a probe is placed on the outside of your chest. The probe sends out sound waves. These sound waves are used to form pictures of your heart and estimate the blood pressure in your pulmonary arteries.

If the cause of your pulmonary hypertension is known, treating the cause of it may help. Breathing oxygen from a tank is one possible treatment. Sometimes, taking a medicine called a calcium-channel blocker, a blood-thinning medicine or a diuretic (water pill) may help. Blood vessel dilators and endothelin receptor antagonists are other types of medicines that may be used to treat pulmonary hypertension. Your doctor will decide what type of medicine is best for you.