Stephen J. Schueler, M.D.


Primary Pulmonary Hypertension Overview

Another name for Primary Pulmonary Hypertension is Pulmonary Hypertension.

What is pulmonary hypertension?
A person with pulmonary hypertension has abnormally high blood pressure in the arteries that deliver blood from the heart to the lungs. There are two main forms of pulmonary hypertension. In someone with primary pulmonary hypertension, there is no clear cause for the high blood pressure. In someone with secondary pulmonary hypertension, the high blood pressure is caused by underlying heart or lung disease. Pulmonary hypertension places abnormal stress on the heart, which can lead to congestive heart failure. Only about 1 out of 500,000 people in the US develop pulmonary hypertension each year.

What are the symptoms of pulmonary hypertension?
Common symptoms of pulmonary hypertension include difficulty breathing, fatigue, chest pain, faintness, fainting, and leg swelling. Less common symptoms of pulmonary hypertension include coughing up blood, palpitations, and a hoarse voice.

How does the doctor treat pulmonary hypertension?
Treatment of pulmonary hypertension may include regular exercise, medications, a lung transplant, or a heart and lung transplant.

Continue to Primary Pulmonary Hypertension Incidence

Last Updated: Sep 17, 2010 References

PubMed Primary Pulmonary Hypertension References