What Is Pulmonary Hypertension?
Pulmonary hypertension is a rare condition that can be proved fatal.
In this condition, the blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries increases abnormally because of the narrowing of the vessels.
In a healthy person, the wall of the arteries can expand well and let the blood pass easily.
However, with pulmonary hypertension, the walls of the arteries become very thick and stiff, restricting the blood flow.
Pulmonary hypertension damages the right side of the heart.
The decreased flow of blood makes it harder for the heart to pump blood to the arteries and supply the blood.
The right side of the heart continuously struggles to supply enough blood, this can make the heart weak.
And because the heart gets weaker, it eventually leads to heart failure.
This condition can affect people of all ages, but growing old can put an individual under a greater risk/ it is often diagnosed in people aged 30 to 60.
To understand this condition better, let’s discuss how the pulmonary arteries work
What Are Pulmonary Arteries And How Do They Work?
We, humans, have two vital sets of blood vessels that carry blood flow from the heart to the body.
One of these sets pumps blood from the left side of the heart to the right side.
While the other set carries the blood from the left side of the heart to the rest of the body (systemic circulation).
You must have noticed how a doctor or a medical caregiver checks the blood pressure with the help of a monitor on a person’s arm, they check the systemic circulation.
If the blood pressure of a patient is abnormally high, the doctor will diagnose the patient with hypertension (high blood pressure)/
The circulatory system ( set of vessels) that circulates the blood from the right side of the heart to the lungs and then back to the left side of the heart is called pulmonary (lung) circulation.
To receive oxygen, the right ventricle circulates the blood into the pulmonary arteries to the lungs.
The pressure of blood in the pulmonary arteries is comparatively (and normally) lower than the pressure in the systemic circulation.
But, when the pressure in pulmonary arteries is significantly raised, that condition is called pulmonary hypertension.
The pressure in the pulmonary arteries is elevated because of the elevation of pulmonary venous pressure, which is referred to as pulmonary venous hypertension (PVH).
This pressure is passed on to the right side of the heart and eventually in the pulmonary arteries.
And that results in the overall raised pulmonary pressure throughout the pulmonary circulation.
This pressure transmission is sometimes caused by a reactive constriction of the pulmonary arteries or it comes from the venous system backward
Pulmonary hypertension is caused by the constriction of the .pulmonary arteries that supply blood to the lungs.
It becomes difficult for the heart of the patient to pump the blood forward through the lungs.
The stress caused by the pressure on the heart results in the enlargement of the right side of the heart.
And that eventually causes the fluid to build up in the eventually fluid can build up in the liver and legs.
What Are The Symptoms Of Pulmonary Hypertension?
Some of the symptoms of pulmonary hypertension are:
- Feeling faint or dizzy
- Shortness Of Breath
- Tiredness
- Angina (chest pain)
- Swelling of the legs, tummy, abdomen, feet, or ankles
- Palpitations (racing heartbeat)
The patient can feel the symptoms getting worse during any kind of physical activity which is why this condition can restrict your physical moments.
In some of the cases, the patient may not have any symptoms at all until the condition worsens.
When Should You See a PH Specialist?
You should consult a PH specialist if you have any symptoms of pulmonary hypertension.
Talk to the specialist about your symptoms, and your medical history.
They will carry out all the necessary physical examinations and tests to rule out the possibilities.
The tests may include an echocardiogram and a heart catheterization. Catheterization is a small surgical process in which a flexible and thin tube is inserted in the pulmonary artery.
If the specialist can correctly diagnose pulmonary hypertension, it can be controlled on time.
However, diagnosing this condition can sometimes take time because its symptoms overlap with the symptoms of many other heart and lung conditions.
Who Is Pulmonary Hypertension Specialist And Why Should You See Them?
A PH specialist has much more expertise to correctly diagnose and identify pulmonary hypertension.
A general physical may or may not have the training or resources to correctly diagnose and manage this disease.
Because this disease is rare, general practitioners receive little to no experience in treating pulmonary hypertension.
But PH specialists are extensively trained and hence provide the best care.
You can run through this source to know more PH and PH specialists.
What Are Risk Factors Of Pulmonary Hypertension?
- Obesity:
Obesity is shown to be independently associated with obesity. People who are obese and are diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension are advised to lose weight.
The weight reduction is proven to be beneficial as it left ventricular diastolic dysfunction.
To know more about the association between obesity and hypertension, read this PDF.
- Family history
If one or more of your family members have PH, then you can be at high risk of getting pulmonary hypertension.
It can happen because of the gene association. A simple test, an echocardiogram, can be used to screen signs of PH.
What Is The Treatment Of Pulmonary Hypertension?
This condition is incurable, but the right treatment can help reduce and manage the symptoms.
This condition progresses and worsens over time but if left untreated, it can immediately cause heart failure.
It is important to start the treatment as soon as possible to limit further damage to the heart.
It is crucial to treat the underlying condition first that may be causing pulmonary hypertension.
Doing so can prevent pulmonary arteries from getting irreversibly damaged.
The basic treatment of pulmonary hypertension includes anticoagulant medicines.
These medicines prevent blood thickening and clotting.
PH specialists may also offer medicines to widen the walls of blood vessels.