Pulmonary Hypertension - Diagnosis & Treatment
How is pulmonary hypertension diagnosed?
How serious is pulmonary hypertension?
How is pulmonary hypertension treated?
How is pulmonary hypertension diagnosed?
A doctor can make a tentative diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension based on a person's symptoms, especially if another lung condition is present. Unfortunately, when symptoms appear, the disease has already progressed extensively. Specific tests that may be ordered to confirm the pulmonary hypertension diagnosis include:
- A chest x-ray
- An echocardiogram and electrocardiogram
- Blood tests to check oxygen levels in the blood
- Pulmonary-function tests to check for lung disease.
The best way to diagnose pulmonary hypertension is to measure the blood pressure in the pulmonary artery. This is done by passing a catheter through a vein in the neck into the right side of the heart to measure the blood pressure in the main vessel leading to the lung.
How serious is pulmonary hypertension?
Given the potential life-threatening nature of this illness, affected patients should receive ongoing medical care, usually by a pulmonologist who specializes in pulmonary vascular medicine. Although pulmonary hypertension is a chronic, challenging disease, the outlook for patients has improved dramatically in recent years and continues to improve.
How is pulmonary hypertension treated?
Treatment for pulmonary hypertension usually focuses on treating the underlying lung disease. Medicine to make the blood vessels larger may be used to improve symptoms.
Medicine to open up the blood vessels can improve the quality of life and increase survival rates for those who have idiopathic pulmonary hypertension. Doctors will usually first do a cardiac catheterization test to make sure that the drugs will be safe for the patient.
If a person with pulmonary hypertension is not getting enough oxygen in the blood, supplemental oxygen may be needed continuously. The extra oxygen may also help lower blood pressure in the arteries of the lung while relieving shortness of breath.
Drugs to eliminate excess fluids from the body (diuretics) can be helpful in lowering the pressure on the arteries. Drugs to prevent the blood from clotting in the lung may also be helpful.
Ultimately, lung transplantation may a necessary pulmonary hypertension treatment when the condition is severe enough and the underlying cause cannot be identified or treated.
To schedule an appointment with a Temple Lung Center physician click here or call 1-800-TEMPLE-MED (1-800-836-7536).
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