Primary Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Pulmonary arterial hypertension treatment, procedures or therapies can slow down the progress of the disease and help you live longer.

What is Primary Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension?

Having pulmonary arterial hypertension means that you have high blood pressure in the arteries that go from your heart to your lungs.  It is a type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries located in lungs and the right side of your heart.  This is different from having standard high blood pressure.

Furthermore, primary pulmonary arterial hypertension is a life-threatening condition that can get worse over time. It may take some planning, but some of them who have it had successfully found ways to do all the things they love to do, just as they did before they’re diagnosed.

Some individual may not see any signs or symptoms for a while.  The main one is conciseness of breath when you’re active.  It usually starts slowly and gets severe as time goes on.  Other than that, you may notice that you can’t do some of the things you used to without getting winded.

Causes of Primary Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Your risk of developing primary pulmonary arterial hypertension may be more significant if you’re :

• Overweight
• Family history of the disease
• Using illegal drugs
• You take certain appetite-suppressant medications
• As a family history of the disease, and you live at a high altitude
• Young adult is more familiar with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension
• You have one of the various conditions that can increase your risk of developing pulmonary hypertension

Although pulmonary arterial hypertension cannot be cured, you can live an active and satisfying life by working with your doctor to manage your symptoms. Talk to your doctor before taking over-the-counter medication, as some may aggravate pulmonary hypertension symptoms or interfere with prescriptions – and keep a list of medicines with you.

Additionally, pregnancy can pose serious risks for women with pulmonary hypertension, so be sure to discuss birth control options with your physician.

These lifestyle changes can improve your symptoms:

• Quit smoking.
• Follow a healthy diet.  Eat a variety of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains, plus lean meat, poultry, fish and low-fat/fat-free milk.  Your diet should be low in fat, cholesterol, sodium and sugar.
• Watch your weight.  A daily record of your weight can help you be aware of rapid weight gain, which may be a sign that your pulmonary hypertension is worsening.
• Stay active.  Incorporate physical activity such as walking into your lifestyle.  Avoid straining or lifting heavy weights.  Rest when you need to.
• Avoid sitting in a hot tub or sauna, or taking long baths, which will lower your blood pressure.
• Be cautious about air travel or high-altitude locales.  You may need to travel with extra oxygen.
• Get support for the anxiety and stress of living with pulmonary arterial hypertension.  Talk with your healthcare team, or ask for a referral to a counsellor.  A support group for people living with pulmonary arterial hypertension can be invaluable in learning how to cope with the illness.

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Treatment

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension treatment helps to relieve signs and slows down the progress of the disease.  Pulmonary hypertension can be treated with medicines, procedures, and other therapies.  The treatment will depend on what type of it do you have and its severity.

Medical evaluation

Your doctor may recommend tests and procedures for diagnosing pulmonary hypertension and knowing the cause and severity.  Common diagnostic tests include an echocardiograph, chest X-ray, electrocardiogram (EKG) and catheterization of the right heart.  Discovering the underlying cause may involve a chest CT scan, chest MRI, lung function tests, a polysomnogram (PSG), lung ventilation/ perfusion scan and blood tests.

Once you have a diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension, exercise testing can help your doctor determine its severity.  The test measures how good your liver and lungs work when you are on a treadmill or bike so that your doctor can assess your level of activity.  Exercise testing may be ongoing during your treatment to monitor your progress.

Besides, your doctor may prescribe medications to relax the blood vessels in your lungs and lessen excess cell growth in the blood vessels.  As the blood vessels ease, more blood can flow through them.  Your doctor may prescribe medicines that can be taken by mouth, inhaled, or injected.

Several methods may be used for all types of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Some of these include:

• Oxygen therapy is a treatment used to raise the level of oxygen in your blood.
• Digoxin.  This medication can help the heartbeat to beat stronger and pump blood more.
• Blood-thinning medicines.  These medicines help to prevent blood clots from getting larger.
• Diuretics, or called as water pills.  These medicines help reduce fluid build up in your body, including swelling in your ankles and feet.
• Physical activity or some regular activity may help to improve your ability to be active in life.  You can start by talking with your doc about a physical activity plan that’s safe for you.

How much does it cost to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension is hard to diagnose earlier because it’s not often detected in a routine physical exam.  To diagnose your condition, your doctor can check your medical history and family, discuss your symptoms and symptoms, and conduct a physical examination.

Doctors can order some tests to diagnose pulmonary arterial hypertension, determine the severity of your condition and find out the cause of your condition. One of the ways to know the overall cost of this treatment is best to check with the hospital.

Who can help you with this cost

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