Pulmonary hypertension is defined haemodynamically, as a mean pulmonary arterial pressure of >25 mmHg at rest or >30 mmHg with exercise.
Pulmonary hypertension is a severe, potentially fatal disease that effects lung and heart, it is symptomatically characterized by shortness of breath, fatigue and fainting.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension results from vasoconstriction and structural alterations to the pulmonary vasculature.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension can be secondary to other disorders, including underlying lung disease or it can be idiopathic without a known predisposing condition.
Asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease are complex inflammatory airway disease leading to pulmonary arterial hypertension.
It is severely exacerbated through exertion due to an increase in blood pressure in the lung vasculature finally leading to a progressive worsening of hemodynamic function, right ventricular hypertrophy, right heart insufficiency and finally right heart failure.
Irrespective to etiology, the presence of pulmonary arterial hypertension is a major risk factor for mortality. Nearly all deaths were result of progressive heart failure or sudden death.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension
