What is pulmonary hypertension? In simple terms, it is a high blood pressure in the arteries that begins from the heart down to the lungs. Pulmonary hypertension is also known as arterial hypertension. It is divided into two categories:
- Primary pulmonary hypertension (not caused by a disease or condition)
- Secondary pulmonary hypertension (caused by an underlying condition and is much more common than primary pulmonary hypertension)
What are the pulmonary hypertension symptoms? The main symptom of this particular condition is shortness of breath without exertion. It usually starts slowly and gets worse over time.
Other pulmonary hypertension symptoms:
- Chest pain
- Passing out suddenly
- Swelling of the legs or edema
Now that you know this condition, you are ready to understand what causes it. To begin with, there are various conditions that can cause pulmonary hypertension. In many cases, it can lead to high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries. Some of its other causes are:
- Congestive heart failure
- Venous thromboembolic disease (blood clots in the lungs)
- Human immunodeficiency virus infection
- Illegal drug use
- Cirrhosis of the liver
- Appetite suppresant medications
- Autoimmune diseases
- Heart shunts
- Chronic lung disease
- Obstructive sleep apnea
When the cause is unidentified even after doing some tests, the condition is said to be an idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, which is also known as primary pulmonary hypertension. It is more common among young people with cases more frequent on females than males. The condition is unusually aggressive and in most cases, fatal. Some experts suspect that the arterial obstruction is caused by the build up of the smooth muscle cells that line the arteries.
If any of these symptoms are felt, one has to visit the doctor and undergo some tests. Tests that are performed earlier is more favorable because of the various options that can be discussed with the doctor. Consequently, the condition can be treated properly.
It is also known that people who get pulmonary hypertension and experience pulmonary hypertension symptoms are those who already have a heart condition. This simply means that there is a bigger percentage of people who have heart conditions that are also susceptible to pulmonary hypertension. For those who have a current medical condition, it is always best that everything is discussed with the doctor in order to know what to expect and what to do.
Always be healthy and have a regular checkup. As the saying goes, health is wealth! Invest in health, and you definitely won’t regret it.