General healthcare

What is pulmonary hypertension?

Blood pressure is the pressure caused by blood flow on the walls of arteries in a body. If this pressure is more than the normal then a person is supposed to be suffering from High blood pressure. Pulmonary Hypertension is the high blood pressure in the blood vessels of lungs and is quite a serious condition which can even lead to heart failure, as the blood in the arteries of the lungs is being pumped from the heart, so an increased pressure may stop the flow of blood in the correct direction.

Published Jan 08, 2022

The most common symptoms of Pulmonary hypertension are:

Shortness of breath

Dizziness

Chest pain

A racing heartbeat

Fainting

Swelling of legs

Special screening methods like echocardiography can help to detect escalating pressure on the pulmonary arteries.

Some people may not have any symptoms in the early stage. Some develop shortness of breath while walking, feel fatigued and dizzy and might even have cough or swelling in the legs.

The causes can be variable. There can be some unknown causes. Valve disease can lead to pulmonary hypertension.

Even children are affected due to it.

Some may respond well to medicines but for severe cases the only solution is lung transplant, so you can appreciate the dangerousness of this ailment.

High pressure in the arteries of lung can also damage vital organs like heart and liver.