Committed to Care
Cardiovascular diseases
Pulmonary Hypertension
Increased pressures in the pulmonary circulation — a finding that needs proper interpretation.
What is it
Pulmonary hypertension is not a single disease. It can be related to different cardiac, pulmonary or other conditions.
That's why finding an elevated estimated pressure on an echocardiogram is not enough by itself to make a diagnosis.
How it can appear
It may be related to:
- shortness of breath on exertion
- reduced endurance
- fatigue
- dizziness or fainting episodes in some cases
- peripheral edema when the condition is advanced.
How is the evaluation done?
The investigation depends on the clinical context and may include:
- Echocardiogram
- right heart assessment
- search for possible underlying cause
- additional tests or referral to a specialist center where necessary.
How it is tracked
Follow-up depends entirely on the cause and severity.