The harms of pulmonary arterial hypertension during pregnancy

Written by Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
Updated on September 04, 2024
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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 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 Li Hai Wen
Cardiology
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Which department should pulmonary hypertension be registered under?

Pulmonary hypertension is becoming increasingly common in our daily lives. Pulmonary hypertension refers to a condition where the pressure in the pulmonary artery exceeds 30 mmHg. If you have pulmonary hypertension and need to see a doctor, you might wonder which department to visit in such a large hospital with many departments. As the name implies, pulmonary hypertension is primarily characterized by an increase in pressure in the pulmonary artery. Therefore, you can make an appointment with the Department of Cardiology. Additionally, the Department of Respiratory Medicine or the Department of Vascular Surgery are also suitable options for seeking treatment.

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Written by Tang Li
Cardiology
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Pulmonary arterial hypertension standards

Pulmonary hypertension is a common clinical condition with very complex causes, which can be induced by a variety of heart, lung, and pulmonary vascular diseases. When pulmonary hypertension occurs, because the resistance in the pulmonary circulation increases, the burden on the right heart increases, eventually leading to right heart failure, thus causing a series of clinical manifestations. During the disease course, pulmonary hypertension commonly shows progressive development. Currently, the diagnostic criteria for pulmonary hypertension are an average pulmonary artery pressure greater than 25 mmHg measured by right heart catheterization at sea level in a resting state, or greater than 30 mmHg during exercise. Additionally, diagnosing arteriogenic pulmonary hypertension requires, beyond the aforementioned criteria, that the pulmonary capillary wedge pressure or left ventricular end-diastolic pressure be less than 15 mmHg. The severity of pulmonary hypertension can be classified into mild, moderate, and severe stages based on resting mean pulmonary artery pressure levels. Mild is defined as 26 to 35 mmHg, moderate as 36 to 45 mmHg, and severe as greater than 45 mmHg. Echocardiography is the most important non-invasive examination method for assessing pulmonary hypertension, and it is recommended that a pulmonary artery systolic pressure greater than 40 mmHg be considered indicative of pulmonary hypertension according to echocardiographic standards.

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Written by Chen Tian Hua
Cardiology
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Symptoms of pulmonary hypertension include:

The clinical symptoms of pulmonary hypertension primarily include: 1. Shortness of breath, which is the most common symptom of pulmonary hypertension. Many patients experience shortness of breath as their initial symptom, which is often related to physical activity. As the condition progresses, the shortness of breath tends to worsen. 2. Some patients may also experience chest pain, dizziness, or fainting. 3. Some patients may cough up blood, usually only a small amount, but occasionally there can be a significant amount. 4. Patients with pulmonary hypertension caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease may experience repeated symptoms of coughing and coughing up phlegm. 5. Patients with pulmonary hypertension often experience fatigue and weakness.

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Written by Zeng Wei Jie
Cardiology
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Late-stage symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension

The prognosis of pulmonary hypertension depends on the function of the right heart. The main symptoms in the final stage of pulmonary hypertension are those of right heart failure. At this time, the patient mainly shows symptoms such as swelling of the lower limbs, oliguria, and abdominal distension. The difficulty in breathing may be slightly less severe than in the early stages. These symptoms are mainly caused by venous congestion in the systemic circulation, which prevents blood from returning from the lower limbs, leading to edema or ascites in the lower parts of the body.