Pulmonary Hypertension Overview

Treatments Vary Depending on the Patient

Sep 20, 2009

Pulmonary hypertension is a rare lung disorder and each patient's condition varies. The goal is to treat the symptoms, as there is no cure for this disease.

Pulmonary hypertension is a lung disorder which causes high blood pressure in the arteries. The disorder causes the arteries which carry blood from the heart to the lungs to become narrowed. This makes it very difficult for blood to pass through the vessels, which results in high blood pressure of the arteries. There is no known cure for this condition and treatment for pulmonary hypertension varies on the individual’s condition.

Symptoms of Pulmonary Hypertension

The abnormal high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs causes strain on the right ventricle of the heart, causing it to increase in size. As the heart becomes overworked, the right ventricle will slowly but surely become weak and this results in the inability to pump enough blood to the lungs. Over time this may possibly lead to developing right heart failure.

In some cases, the cause of pulmonary hypertension is unknown, which is diagnosed as idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH). Although it can also be caused by another existing medical condition and in this case it’s diagnosed as a secondary pulmonary hypertension.

Causes of Pulmonary Hypertension

Treatment for Pulmonary Hypertension

Most patients who are living with pulmonary hypertension must be treated at certain medical centers that specialize in caring for this particular condition, although it’s often up to the patient to gain self discipline and change their daily lifestyle. This often includes sticking to a certain diet plan, establishing regular checkups to monitor any changes and taking daily medications, as well.

Surgery for Pulmonary Hypertension

There are three surgeries that may possibly need to be performed in patients with pulmonary hypertension depending on the particular patient’s condition. If the patient has a large clot inside the pulmonary artery, this may need to be surgically removed to increase the blood flow and lung function.

For advanced pulmonary hypertension in which a person does not respond to any ongoing treatments, a lung transplant surgery may need to be performed. Approximately one thousand lung transplants are performed annually throughout the United States. There is usually a very large waiting list, as there is a major shortage of lung donors. Last, a heart and lung transplant may need performed if the patient goes into both lung and left heart failure, although this is very uncommon.

Pulmonary hypertension is a rare lung disorder that causes high blood pressure inside the arteries of the lungs. The causes of pulmonary hypertension may be due to an existing condition or the cause may be completely unknown. If an individual believes that they may have symptoms that reflect this particular condition, it’s important that they talk to their health care provider, for catching the condition early is very important.

The copyright of the article Pulmonary Hypertension Overview in Health Field is owned by Emily Rogers. Permission to republish Pulmonary Hypertension Overview in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.