Pulmonary hypertension is seen in what disease?

Written by Tang Li
Cardiology
Updated on September 25, 2024
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Pulmonary arterial hypertension can be seen in various diseases. The first major category is arterial pulmonary hypertension. Patients may have idiopathic arterial pulmonary hypertension, familial pulmonary hypertension, and arterial pulmonary hypertension caused by related diseases. Such as collagen vascular disease, portal hypertension, HIV infection, drug or toxin-induced thyroid dysfunction, myeloproliferative disorders, splenectomy, and hemoglobinopathies can also lead to arterial pulmonary hypertension. Venous pulmonary hypertension is mostly associated with left heart system diseases, such as left atrial and left ventricular heart diseases, left heart valvular diseases. Conditions like chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, interstitial lung disease, and sleep apnea related to hypotension also lead to pulmonary hypertension. Another category is chronic thrombotic or thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. For instance, proximal or distal pulmonary artery thromboembolism, parts such as tumors, parasites, and foreign objects can also cause pulmonary embolism, thereby causing thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.

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Written by Wang Chun Mei
Pulmonology
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How dangerous is pulmonary hypertension?

Pulmonary hypertension is itself a very complex disease, with many causative factors in clinical practice. In the early stages, patients may only exhibit symptoms such as shortness of breath after activity, difficulty breathing, and overall fatigue. However, as the condition gradually worsens, patients may experience chest tightness, rapid breathing, and even chest pain, fainting, or dizziness. If the patient also has right heart dysfunction, they may experience symptoms like swelling of the lower limbs, as well as diarrhea and abdominal distension. Therefore, if pulmonary hypertension patients are definitively diagnosed and do not receive timely appropriate treatment, the accompanying clinical symptoms may rapidly worsen. The patient's life may be at risk due to severe symptoms such as hypoxia or fainting.

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Written by Xie Zhi Hong
Cardiology
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Pulmonary hypertension vomiting, what's the matter?

In the early stages, arterial hypertension may present no symptoms. However, when it reaches a certain severity, it can lead to difficulties in breathing, tightness in the chest, and may cause edema in the gastrointestinal tract, facial swelling, and fluid accumulation in the abdominal and thoracic cavities. When gastrointestinal edema becomes severe, patients may experience nausea, vomiting, and a significant loss of appetite. Thus, these are symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Some cases of vomiting occur because patients consume high-fat foods that are not absorbed in a timely manner, leading to gastrointestinal bloating which causes nausea and vomiting. Additionally, some cases involve patients who use diuretics to reduce swelling; they often experience vomiting due to electrolyte imbalances, such as low sodium and low potassium levels.

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Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
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Obvious symptoms of pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension is a relatively common disease in everyday life. Based on the causes of pulmonary hypertension, it can be divided into two categories: primary and secondary pulmonary hypertension. Regardless of the type of pulmonary hypertension, patients often exhibit certain symptoms, such as chest tightness and shortness of breath, which are the most common symptoms. In severe cases, some patients may even experience syncope. When pulmonary hypertension affects the heart, causing right ventricular enlargement, patients often show signs of right heart failure, such as shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, lower limb edema, and gastrointestinal symptoms, such as nausea and abdominal distension.

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Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
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The harms of pulmonary arterial hypertension during pregnancy

Pulmonary hypertension is categorized into mild, moderate, and severe stages. If it is mild pulmonary hypertension, pregnancy generally does not have a major impact. However, for those with moderate or especially severe pulmonary hypertension, pregnancy can be very dangerous for both the mother and the fetus. As the fetus grows, pulmonary hypertension can lead to ischemia and hypoxia, which can worsen over time. The mother is likely to develop symptoms of acute heart failure, severely endangering her life. Additionally, it can cause intrauterine hypoxia for the fetus, leading to miscarriage or stillbirth. Therefore, pregnancy is not recommended for patients with moderate, and particularly severe, pulmonary hypertension.

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Written by Yuan Qing
Pulmonology
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Does pulmonary hypertension require oxygen therapy?

Whether pulmonary arterial hypertension requires oxygen therapy primarily depends on the patient's blood oxygen saturation level at rest. Generally, it is recommended to measure the oxygen saturation for patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Due to intrapulmonary shunting and shunting between the left and right heart during pulmonary arterial hypertension, arterial and venous blood mix directly, resulting in very low blood oxygen saturation in patients. Generally speaking, if the measured blood oxygen saturation at rest is below 90%, such patients often need oxygen therapy. Even if it does not drop below 90%, patients with moderate to severe pulmonary arterial hypertension also require oxygen therapy. Oxygen therapy can improve hypoxia, significantly dilating the pulmonary vessels and thus alleviating symptoms of high pulmonary artery pressure. It is very valuable for improving patient prognosis and survival time.