Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension is the elevation of blood pressure exclusively in the circulation through the lungs, unrelated to blood pressure in the rest of the body.  It happens as a result of a number of lung conditions that are associated with lower oxygen and reduced ability of the lungs to absorb oxygen.  The blood vessels in the lungs experience a combination of conditions that include spasm, some thickening of the walls of the arteries, some formation of clots in the vessels and even actual loss of some of the blood vessels.  All of this puts a strain on the chambers of the heart that are involed in pumping blood to the lungs.

Symptoms

• Shortness of breath
• Swelling in the lower extremeties
• Fluid retention
• Cardiac arrythmias

How to Diagnose Pulmonary Hypertension

Common tests that are used for diagnosing and monitoring pulmonary hypertension include echocardiograms, pulse oximetry, pulmonary function studies and CAT scan of the chest.  Your pulmonary doctor will order tests to establish the diagnosis of suspected pulmonary hypertension and initiate necessary therapy along with a plan of monitoring on a routine basis.

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