What is pulmonary hypertension and how does it affect your heart health?

Dr Ranjit Jagtap Clinic, Pulmonary hypertension is a kind of excessive blood pressure. It affects the arteries in the lungs as well as the heart’s right side.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a kind of pulmonary hypertension in which blood arteries in the lungs are constricted, obstructed, or damaged. This results in slowing down of blood flow through the lungs, and blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries rises. The increased effort leads the heart muscle to weaken and finally fail.

It progresses slowly in some persons and might be fatal. Although certain kinds of pulmonary hypertension have no cure, therapy can assist to alleviate symptoms and improve quality of life.

Pulmonary hypertension is a rare lung disease in which the arteries carrying blood from the heart to the lungs constrict, making blood flow problematic. As a result, the blood pressure in these arteries, known as pulmonary arteries, rises significantly above normal, says Dr Ranjit Jagtap.

The right ventricle of the heart is strained by the excessively high pressure, which causes it to enlarge in size. The right ventricle, which is overworked and swollen, progressively weakens and loses its capacity to pump adequate blood to the lungs.

Pulmonary hypertension’s long-term consequences

According to Dr Ranjit Jagtap News, Pulmonary hypertension occurs when the arteries in the lungs constrict and thicken, decreasing the flow of blood from the pulmonary arteries to the lungs, similar to how systemic high blood pressure causes the heart to work harder to supply blood to the body. When the heart becomes too weak to pump enough blood to the lungs, heart failure takes place.

What do the signs and symptoms of pulmonary hypertension look like?

The symptoms of pulmonary hypertension typically do not appear until the disease has advanced. Shortness of breath during normal tasks, such as climbing stairs, is frequently the initial indication of pulmonary hypertension.

Symptoms include fatigue, dizziness, and fainting episodes. As the heart’s workload rises, swelling in the ankles, belly, or legs, blue lips and skin, and chest discomfort may develop. Moreover, symptoms vary in severity, and a patient may or may not experience all of them.

Even modest exercise might trigger some of the symptoms in the later stages of the disease. Other signs and symptoms include:

• Irregular heartbeat is a condition in which the heartbeat is irregular (palpitations or strong, throbbing sensation)
• The heartbeat is racing.
• Dizziness or passing out
• Shortness of breath that becomes worse when you exercise or do anything else, and
• Breathing problems at rest
• As the condition progresses, it may become difficult to carry out any activity.

Treatment and diagnosis

Pulmonary hypertension can appear gradually, with no warning signs or symptoms. When symptoms do appear, asthma or other lung or cardiac problems may cause these symptoms.

Your doctor may inquire about your symptoms and risk factors, such as other medical illnesses and family history, in order to diagnose pulmonary hypertension. You’re more likely to acquire pulmonary hypertension if you have a family member who has it.

Examination by a physician

To diagnose pulmonary hypertension and determine its origin and severity, your doctor may propose tests and treatments. An echocardiogram, chest X-ray, electrocardiogram (EKG), and right cardiac catheterization are all common diagnostic tests. A chest CT scan, chest MRI, lung function tests, polysomnogram (PSG), lung ventilation/perfusion scan, and blood tests may be used to determine the underlying reason.

Pulmonary hypertension treatment

Your medical team at Dr Ranjit Jagtap Clinic offer you with coordinated, comprehensive care, a team of pulmonary hypertension specialists collaborates. Doctors may frequently evaluate your health and design a treatment plan in as little as a few days thanks to this collaborative approach.

Ram Mangal doctors look for you as a whole person. Doctors spend time getting to know you and working with you to offer the treatment you require. Moreover, the surgeons here have a lot of expertise with heart surgery for pulmonary hypertension.