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Pulmonary Hypertension RN

  • What is Pulmonary Hypertension?
    • What is Pulmonary Hypertension?
    • Pulmonary Hypertension Symptoms
    • Types of Pulmonary Hypertension
    • Causes of Pulmonary Hypertension
    • PH vs. PAH
    • Diastolic Heart Failure vs. PAH
    • WHO Group 3 Pulmonary Hypertension, IPF & COPD
    • Pulmonary Veno-Occlusive Disease
    • Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT)
      • Hereditary Hemorrhagic Telangiectasia (HHT) Treatment
    • Functional Classification of Pulmonary Hypertension
    • Congenital Heart Disease
      • Eisenmenger’s Syndrome
      • Update on Management of PAH-CHD
      • Congenital Heart Disease & Sleep Apnea
      • Complex Congenital Heart Disease
      • Atrial Septal Defect and Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
    • Pediatric Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
    • Sickle Cell and Pulmonary Hypertension
    • Stimulant Associated Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
    • Porto-Pulmonary Syndrome
    • Research, Life Expectancy & Prognosis for PH
  • Diagnosing & Monitoring PAH
    • Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Diagnosis
    • How Am I Doing? Assessing Your PAH.
    • Blood Tests
    • Cardiopulmonary Exercise Test (CPET)
    • CT (Computed Tomography) Scan
    • Echocardiogram: An Overview
    • Echocardiogram: A Detailed Look
    • Pulmonary Function Tests (PFTs)
    • Right Heart Catheterization
    • Six Minute Walk
    • Ventilation Perfusion Scan (VQ Scan)
    • CTEPH
      • CTEPH: WHO Group 4 Pulmonary Hypertension
      • PTE (Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy) Surgery
      • Adempas used to Treat PAH and CTEPH
  • PAH Treatment
    • Pulmonary Hypertension Centers
    • Pulmonary Hypertension Treatments
    • Continuously Infused Therapies Used to Treat PH
    • Prostanoids for Treatment of PH
    • Adcirca and Revatio Used to Treat Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH)
    • Adempas used to Treat PAH and CTEPH
    • Tracleer, Letairis, and Opsumit Treatments
    • Oxygen Therapy for Pulmonary Hypertension
    • Salt and Water Restrictions
    • Exercise & PAH
    • Diuretics
    • Blood Thinners
    • Getting the Most Out of PAH Therapy
      • Letairis
      • Opsumit
      • Sildenafil (Revatio)
  • Research
  • FAQ’s
    • Implanted Remodulin Pump, Right Heart Catheterization, PAH & Pregnancy
    • Oral Treatments, Care Centers & Hole in Heart
    • FAQ’s: Altitude, Cold & Allergy Medications
    • FAQ’s: Psoriasis, Idiopathic PAH, Contraceptives & PAH
    • FAQ’s: Causes of Pulmonary Hypertension, Symptom Frequency & Care Centers
    • FAQ: PAH Experts, Pregnancy, Mild PAH & Vacationing
    • FAQ’s: CTEPH, Blood Clots, Corrective Surgery & PAH Care Centers
    • FAQ’s: VQ Scans & PAH Curable?
    • FAQ’s: Mild Pulmonary Hypertension?
    • FAQ’s: Boating, Swimming & Eating with PAH
    • FAQ’s: Borderline Pulmonary Hypertension, Hand Swelling, Children with PAH, Costs

Pulmonary Hypertension Symptoms

What are symptoms of pulmonary hypertension?

Many of the symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are nonspecific leading to under or misdiagnosis in many patients. It is common to spend more than two years from the time symptoms present to the time of accurate diagnosis. This is very concerning since pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a progressive disease and the more advanced the disease is before treatment the worse the outcomes are for the patient. For this reason, many PAH specialists spend time and energy educating community physicians about signs and symptoms of pulmonary hypertension.

Common symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) include:

PH patient with fatigueBreathlessness or dyspnea: Usually starts with shortness of breath with activities such as walking up inclines or stairs but can progress to breathlessness at rest.

Chest pain: This pain can vary from feeling pressure in the chest to stabbing pain and is very individualized.

Dizziness: Feeling light headed or dizzy with activity.

Fainting: This is a verry concerning symptom that should be paid close attention. Many times the fainting happens when a pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patient bends down with their head lowered to pick something up. A known pulmonary hypertension patient should always report an episode of fainting or near fainting to their PAH specialist.

Chronic fatigue: Not being able to do the same activities as previously able to do, or having to take breaks to complete usual chores such as making the bed or vacuuming the floor.

PAH patient with edemaSwelling in the ankles or edema: Fluid accumulates in the body because the heart is strained and cannot efficiently pump. The fluid generally settles in the feet, ankles, and legs as they are the most dependent part of the body but swelling can also be noticed in the abdomen and hands.

Many other diseases such as congestive heart failure or diastolic heart failure have very similar symptoms of pulmonary hypertension. Diagnosing pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) involves ruling out other causes for these symptoms by doing non-invasive testing such as pulmonary function tests, CT scans, and echocardiograms before proceeding to the more invasive right heart catheterization.

PAH Life Expectancy

PAH Research

Research, Life Expectancy & Prognosis for PH

Major Developments in Pulmonary Hypertension Affecting Prognosis 1.     Approval of

Where to Get Treatment?

CCCs for PAH

Pulmonary Hypertension Centers

Where to get treatment for pulmonary hypertension? Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a

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