Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) is a little known progressive, irreversible, and life threatening disease affecting the blood vessels in the lungs. These pulmonary arteries become constricted making it very difficult for the heart to pump blood to the lungs to pick up oxygen causing the heart to overwork and leading to right heart failure.
Virtually anyone can get Pulmonary Hypertension (PH).
The beginning symptoms of fatigue, shortness of breath, chest discomfort, swelling of the extremities are consistent with many types of heart and lung diseases, making PH a very difficult disease to diagnosis early, and many patients can go up to 3-5 years and see up to 4 doctors before finally getting diagnosed.
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Causes: Snoring with sleep apnea, heart defects, genetics (it can run in families), scleraderma, lupus, HIV, taking birth control pills (which can cause blood clots in the lungs), liver diseases, diseases of the lungs, or heart, disease of the blood including HHT & sickle cell, and drug use. Pulmonary Hypertension may occur with no known cause.
Symptoms:
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- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Chest discomfort or pain
- Swelling of the extremities, and abdomen
- Palpitations (thudding of the heart)
- Rapid heart rate
- Dizziness upon exertion
- Fainting
- Cyanosis (bluing cyanosis of the lips and nail beds)
If you have any of these symptoms, or if you are being treated for asthma and not responding to your treatment, ask your doctor about Pulmonary Hypertension.
For more information go to: www.PHAssociation.org