Can I Die From Pulmonary Hypertension

High blood pressure in the arteries that provide the lungs is known as pulmonary hypertension (PHT). The blood pressure calculated by cuff on our arm is not directly related to the pressure in our lungs. Pulmonary Hypertension is a very severe lung and heart disorder associated to the blood vessels in the lungs. When a person has Pulmonary Hypertension these blood vessels tighten, increasing pressure in the pulmonary artery (connecting the heart to the lungs) and creating a life-threatening situation. Pulmonary Hypertension causes the tiny blood vessels in the lungs to change and close off, preventing blood from flowing freely.

Symptoms of Pulmonary Hypertension comprises of shortness of breath, which can come about even with little or no physical exertion. Pulmonary Hypertension also causes fatigue, chest pain, dizziness and fainting spells. Most people diagnosed with Pulmonary Hypertension die within three years of diagnosis, even though new treatments and early diagnosis are extending that time to some extent. Currently, Pulmonary Hypertension victims may be able to survive for ten years or more following their analysis.

There are two types of Pulmonary Hypertension: Primary and Secondary. Both forms of this disarray are similar in all but causes: Secondary Pulmonary Hypertension can be attributed to a precise reason, while Primary Pulmonary Hypertension cannot be connected to a particular reason. Paradoxically, when the disease is defined as Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, it is often connection to diet drug use, although the underlying connection has not been clearly recognized.

Pulmonary Hypertension is a rare ailment, only occurring in around two persons per million annually. Because it is so rare and the symptoms are so common to other diseases, Pulmonary Hypertension is often diagnosed only in the very late stages. In fact, the average length of time from the onset of symptoms to a Pulmonary Hypertension diagnosis is two years. This affects treatment options, increasing the chances of mortality.

Treating Pulmonary Hypertension frequently focuses on increasing the life span of the patient. There are few drugs accepted for the treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension, but they are extremely expensive. The most effective way to treat Pulmonary Hypertension is through a single or double lung transplant, but these measures are also very expensive, and the wait for a lung transplant is too long for many Pulmonary Hypertension sufferers. In rare cases, a heart transplant may also be requisite, but the heart strain is generally reversed naturally following a lung transplant.

Because Primary Pulmonary Hypertension has been linked to the use of diet drugs such as Fen-Phen, victims may be at liberty for compensation from the drug manufacturers. These victims are able to bring claims for compensation, including the cost of medical treatment, lost wages, and pain and suffering.



Supplementary safety measures are often taken with PHT patients. These include supplemental oxygen during air travel, antibiotic therapy for significant respiratory tract infections and yearly flu vaccines. Also avoiding conditions in which the ambient oxygen concentration may be decreased, such as high altitude and traveling in airplane cabins can be beneficial.Finally, if we have begun medical treatment for our PHT, stopping any of our medicines without the physician's approval can be extremely dangerous. Medical therapy has significantly improved the outlook for most PHT patients, but it does not cure PHT.

• Felicia Byrnes
• 15/04/2009, 6:59 PM
• 0 Comments