What is it?
Pulmonary hypertension, also called as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), is a type of high blood pressure that affects arteries in the lungs and in the heart.It is a rare condition that can affect people of all ages, but it’s more common in people who have another heart or lung condition. It is a serious condition.
What are the symptoms?
There may not have any symptoms until the condition is quite advanced. Symptoms of pulmonary hypertension include:
- Shortness of breath (difficult or labored breathing on exertion).
- Fatigue, caused by the heart having to pump harder and harder.
- Feeling faint or dizziness.
- Chest pain and pressure (angina).
- A racing heartbeat (palpitations).
- Swelling (oedema) in the legs, ankles, feet or tummy (abdomen).
The symptoms often get worse during exercise, which can limit your ability to take part in physical activities.
What to expect?
If you are diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension you can consider discussing the following subjects with your doctor after the initial treatment:
- Do you need to make lifestyle changes, such as loosing weight, quit smoking or more exercise? This may help to prevent complications.