Types, Causes and Symptoms of Pulmonary Hypertension – Pulmonary arterial hypertension or pulmonary hypertension is a rare form of high blood pressure conditions. This condition occurs when the pulmonary artery that carries blood from the lungs to the heart is blocked. This blockage can occur due to the narrowed blood vessels due to plaque. Finally, blood flow is not smooth and blood pressure is increased.
Pulmonary hypertension can be experienced in all ages, but usually the disease is suffered by a person who also has problems with the heart or lungs. Pulmonary hypertension is a disease that has not been cured, so the treatment will be more focused to relieve symptoms or slow the progression of the disease.
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Types of Pulmonary Hypertension
There are five different types of pulmonary hypertension, as listed in the Dana Point 2008 Updated Clinical Classification System.
- Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)
- Pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease
- Pulmonary hypertension (PH) due to lung disease or hypoxemia
- Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH)
- Pulmonary hypertension with unclear multifactorial mechanisms
This condition was first discovered in the late 1800 ‘s by Ernst von Romberg. Lung hypertension involves narrowing of blood vessels in the lungs, or connecting organs throughout the body. The narrowing of the heart prevents the patient from pumping blood efficiently through the lungs.
This condition lasts over time and makes capillary vessels, veins, or pulmonary arteries increasingly thick and harsh. These pulmonary fibrosis vascular diseases cause an increase in blood pressure in the lungs thereby damaging the blood flow.
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Causes of Pulmonary Hypertension
Pulmonary hypertension can occur in all ages, races, and ethnic backgrounds, but pulmonary hypertension is more common in older people and roughly occurs twice as often in women than in men.
According to the cause, the WHO classifies pulmonary hypertension into 5 groups. I.e:
- Group 1:Ppulmonary Arterial hypertension (PAH). Groups 1 of pulmonary hypertension unknown cause, is a hereditary disease, caused by drugs or toxins, HIV infection, liver disease, congenital heart disease, sickle cell disease, or schistosomiasis, or caused by conditions that affects the blood vessels of the veins and small veins of the lungs.
- Group 2: Pulmonary hypertension. Left heart disease is the most common cause of pulmonary hypertension: The group 2 of pulmonary hypertension is often associated with left heart disease such as mitral valve disease or chronic high blood pressure.
- Group 3 of pulmonary hypertension. Group 3 is associated with lung problems such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and interstitial pulmonary disease, as well as other sleep-related respiratory disorders.
- Group of 4 pulmonary hypertension. Group 4 includes pulmonary hypertension caused by blood clotting in the lungs or in general blood clotting disorders.
- Group of 5 pulmonary hypertension. Group 5 includes pulmonary hypertension triggered by other examples of disorders of the disease or conditions such as blood disorders such as polycythemia Vera and Thrombocyaniemia; Systemic disorders such as sarcoidosis and vasculitis, metabolic disorders such as thyroid and glycogen storage disease, and other conditions such as kidney disease and tumors that suppress the pulmonary arteries.
Not many people know that they experience pulmonary hypertension. In fact, this condition if left can be a serious matter.
If not treated immediately, pulmonary hypertension can lead to fatal heart failure. Therefore, it is very important to do the treatment as early as possible so that no complications occur. In addition, making lifestyle changes is also highly recommended to improve the condition of the sufferer.
Then, let’s recognize the symptoms of pulmonary hypertension.
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What are the symptoms of pulmonary hypertension?
Narrowing of the pulmonary arteries can occur for a considerable period of time. So, most of this condition does not show any special symptoms, especially when it is still in the early stages.
Symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension are also not directly ensured, because many other disease conditions that have the same symptoms. Many people neglect the symptoms of pulmonary artery, this is due to its symptoms running and appearing slow. This makes the proper diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension becoming more difficult.
Below are the symptoms of pulmonary hypertension that should be wary of:
- Shortness of breath.
- Fatigue and dizziness.
- Feeling unfit.
- Lips are blue.
- Chest pain.
- Heart pounding.
- Swelling in the limbs and abdomen area.
- Limp.
- Fainting.
- Swelling of the abdomen or legs.
Thank you very much for reading Types, Causes and Symptoms of Pulmonary Hypertension, hopefully useful.
