Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary Hypertension General Information

Hypertension (also commonly referred to as high blood pressure) is a common clinical illness that is known to affect the way in which the patient’s blood flows through the organism (more specifically, through the arteries that are connected to the left side of the individual’s heart). The clinical phrase “Pulmonary Hypertension” is a certain type of high blood pressure; it is not a common medical condition. The presence of this disorder only affects the arteries that supply the patient’s lungs with blood and the arteries that are directly linked to the left side of the individual’s heart.

The first phase of this medical disorder is known to be characterized by the narrowing, destruction or clocking of the tiny arteries (pulmonary capillaries and / or pulmonary arteries) that are found in the patient’s lung(s). In this way, it is much harder for the blood to correctly flow through the lungs. A direct consequence of this is the presence of an increased pressure within the arteries of the lungs. The presence of this increased pressure obliges the heart’s right ventricle (the lower right chamber of the organ) to work harder in order to effectively pump the needed blood to the patient’s lungs. If the disease is not treated properly, the patient’s heart muscles will eventually weaken. Heart failure is also a potential life threatening complication of this clinical condition.

This disorder (Pulmonary Hypertension) is considered to be a severe medical illness that worsens in time, as it is able to lead to the development of life threatening complications. Although there is no specific cure for this clinical disorder, several therapy options available on the market can effectively ease the symptoms of this disorder and improve the patient’s life quality.

Pulmonary Hypertension Symptoms

Although the presence of this heart medical condition may determine a set of specific clinical manifestations that are widely associated with Pulmonary Hypertension, in the early stages of this clinical illness, its symptoms and / or signs are generally described as very subtle. In some clinical cases, during the first few months (and even during the first few years) of this clinical illness, the patient did not experience nay unpleasant or disturbing clinical manifestations – the disorder was asymptomatic. However, it is a known fact that in time, the patient’s Pulmonary Hypertension progresses; this makes the individual’s symptoms worsen as well, disturbing his or her daily routine and quality of life.

We have gathered here a short list of the most common clinical manifestations that may be experienced by an individual who is suffering from this disorder: dyspnoea (a professional medical term that defines “breath shortness”), which can appear either when the patient is exercising or when he or she is resting, abnormal; fatigue, syncope (fainting spells), dizziness, pain that is located in the chest, feeling of increased pressure inside the chest, edema (swelling) of the patient’s legs, ankles, feet, and so on. Other individuals have developed cyanosis – a professional clinical term that defines the presence of a bluish color of the individual’s skin and / or lips. Other symptoms that are considered typical for the presence of this medical disorder (Pulmonary Hypertension) include heart palpitations, racing pulse, and so on.

Pulmonary Hypertension Treatment

The best therapy option for a patient’s condition (Pulmonary Hypertension) usually takes some time to be accurately determined. Most of the treatment trials against this clinical disorder are known to require extensive professional follow-up attention, as they are very complex. In time, the effectiveness of the therapy option is known to diminish, so your personal health care provider may have to make regular changes to your treatment schedule or treatment option. The appropriate therapy option is known to generally depend on a variety of clinical factors that include the patient’s general health condition, sex, severity and type of the disorder, and so on. If the clinical studies for this disease have shown that the true cause of this medical condition is the presence of an underlying illness, your therapy option will probably concentrate on treating that specific disorder.

We will now try to present you the main characteristics of the most common therapy options that are employed in the case of patients with Pulmonary Hypertension. The main therapy option is medication therapy. The use of blood vessel dilators (vasodilators) is able to effectively widen the patient’s blood vessels. One of the most common medicines that fit into this category is Flolan (its main ingredient is epoprostenol). However, the effects of such a remedy only last for a couple of minutes. If this is the main therapy of the patient, he or she should be continuously administered this medicine in its IV (intravenous) form, via a venous catheter. Among the most common side effects of this remedy are: diarrhea, nausea, jaw pain, leg cramps, and so on.

The use of endothelin receptor antagonists is able to effectively reverse the effects of a substance that causes the blood vessels to narrow. The substance is called endothelin. A therapy with such a medicine (like Bosentan) can ease the patient’s symptoms (at least those that are caused by his or her Pulmonary Hypertension). However, a therapy with this drug must not be prescribed to pregnant females or to patients who are suffering from severe liver medical disorders. Patients who are using this drug on a regular basis ought to undergo monthly liver clinical evaluations. The use of Sildenafil (a medicine that contains the same active ingredient as Viagra) is sometimes employed in the therapy against this medical disorder (Pulmonary Hypertension) as it is able to widen the patient’s blood vessels. However, among the most common side effects of this medicine are vision disturbances, dizziness, symptoms of an allergic reaction, and so on.

The intake of high doses of calcium channel blockers will help the muscles of the blood vessels’ walls relax, widening the diameter of the arteries. However, not all patients respond to such a therapy in a satisfactory way. The most common calcium channel blockers include Cardizem, Norvasc, Procardia, Adalat, and so on. For further information, contact your personal health care provider.