Contents:
- Medical Video: Diagnosing Pulmonary Hypertension
- Types of pulmonary hypertension
- What are the symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension?
- What are the risk factors for pulmonary hypertension?
- 1. Age and gender
- 2. Family history
- 3. Other health conditions
- 4. Use of drugs
- 5. Live in the highlands
- Prevent pulmonary hypertension
Medical Video: Diagnosing Pulmonary Hypertension
Pulmonary arterial hypertension, or more commonly referred to as pulmonary hypertension, is a condition that occurs when the arteries in the lungs narrow, and the right side of the heart must work harder to pump blood to the lungs. This causes high blood pressure in the arteries, called the pulmonary arteries.
Over time, the heart continues to work hard so that it will cause muscle weakness and heart failure. Although pulmonary artery hypertension cannot be cured, this condition can be controlled with medication and lifestyle changes.
Types of pulmonary hypertension
Pulmonary hypertension is a narrowing of the pulmonary arteries divided into two types, i.e. idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension) and secondary pulmonary arterial hypertension (secondary pulmonary arterial hypertension) Both types are very rare.
In idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension, there is no known cause for the condition. It seems that this condition develops on its own, although sometimes it is genetically inherited. In secondary pulmonary arterial hypertension, the condition arises because of several health problems that a person already has (as a complication of the disease).
What are the symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension?
Most signs and symptoms of pulmonary hypertension similar to other heart and lung problems. Symptoms include:
- Hard to breathe
- Dizziness or fainting
- Heart palpitations
- Fatigue
- Chest pain
- Cough
- Swelling of the abdomen or arms, legs and ankles
- Blue skin, especially at the fingertips
What are the risk factors for pulmonary hypertension?
Pulmonary hypertension is a condition that can affect anyone. There are a number of risk factors that can make a person more susceptible to this condition and other heart or lung problems, namely:
1. Age and gender
Although pulmonary hypertension is a condition that can strike at any age, this condition is more often found in adults. As for sex, idiopathic pulmonary artery hypertension is twice as common in women than men. Young women in childbearing age are also more likely to develop pulmonary hypertension.
2. Family history
As mentioned earlier, idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension occurs without a clear cause. In some cases, family history seems to be influential and the test results will show the marking gene.
However, not all patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension have this marker gene, and some patients do not even have a family history of other heart and lung diseases.
3. Other health conditions
Other health conditions that are risk factors for pulmonary hypertension are:
- Obesity and sleep apnea can reduce oxygen levels in the body. As a result, the heart is forced to work harder to pump blood to the lungs.
- You have HIV infection.
- You have lung problems, including chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and left side heart disease.
- You have a history of blood clots in the pulmonary arteries.
- You have liver disease.
- You have lupus and other diseases of the connective tissue.
- You are pregnant and this is dangerous because it can be fatal.
4. Use of drugs
Drugs such as methamphetamine and cocaine, as well as diet drugs such as fen-phen have been shown to cause pulmonary hypertension. Sometimes, the condition does not appear for years after you stop using these drugs.
5. Live in the highlands
Those who live in the highlands are more at risk for pulmonary artery hypertension. Why is that? The reason is, the higher the terrain, the lower the air pressure. That's why your lungs also have to work harder.
Research has shown that pulmonary hypertension can improve if you move to the lowlands (for example near the sea). While people who have been exposed to pulmonary artery hypertension and go to the highlands will feel the symptoms of the disease get worse.
Prevent pulmonary hypertension
Most of these risk factors are difficult to control. However, visit a doctor when the first symptoms occur. There are several diagnostic tests that can determine the cause of your symptoms. Treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension generally involves managing symptoms, consuming drugs, and changing lifestyle.
