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01 Nov 2021 | 04:56 PM (IST)

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Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)

Description

Pulmonary hypertension is high blood pressure in the arteries to your lungs. It is a serious condition. If you have it, the blood vessels that carry blood from your heart to your lungs become hard and narrow. The heart has to work harder to pump the blood through. Over time, the heart weakens and cannot do its job and one may develop heart failure.

Causes and Risk Factors

Common causes are:

1. Family history

2. May be related to another condition, usually heart or lung disease

Signs and Symptoms

Symptoms include:

1. Shortness of breath during routine activity, such as climbing two flights of stairs

2. Tiredness

3. Chest pain

4. A racing heartbeat

5. Pain on the upper right side of the abdomen

6. Decreased appetite

As PH worsens, you may find it hard to do any physical activities.

Treatment

There is no cure for PH. Treatments can only control symptoms:

1. Your doctor may recommend medications such as,

a) Blood vasodilators

b) Endothelin receptor antagonists

c) Anticoagulants

2. In severe cases, when medication does not work, surgery such as atrial septostomy and transplantation may also be recommended.

NIH: National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute

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Tata 1mg's sole intention is to ensure that its consumers get information that is expert-reviewed, accurate and trustworthy. However, the information contained herein should NOT be used as a substitute for the advice of a qualified physician. The information provided here is for informational purposes only. This may not cover all possible side effects, drug interactions or warnings or alerts. Please consult your doctor and discuss all your queries related to any disease or medicine. We intend to support, not replace, the doctor-patient relationship.