Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary Hypertension

Jamie Trun

One of the main systems in a person’s body is the circulatory system, which is composed of the heart, the lungs and the blood vessels working together to for the circle part of the circulatory system. It starts with the pumping of the heart to force the blood on its journey. It consists of three different parts: pulmonary which is related to the lungs, the coronary relates to the heart and systemic circulation refers to the general circulation of blood throughout the entire body. Each part must be working independently and correctly in order for them to all work together. However, when one of the parts of the circulatory system does not work properly, diseases like pulmonary hypertension arise. But when people hear the word hypertension, you would normally think of high blood pressure but the is another type of hypertension that is not very known.It is pulmonary hypertension which is a rare lung disorder that affects the arteries in the lungs. Pulmonary hypertension is a certain type of high blood pressure that affects the arteries in the lung along with the right side of the heart. Currently there is no cure but there are many studies trying to get more understanding of this disease which will help in the early detection. “Prior to 1995, people with pulmonary hypertension lived on average less than 3 years after diagnosis. Now, new treatments have improved survival rates and quality of life for those living with this condition.”(CDC) In this paper I will discuss the definition and causes, the signs and symptoms, the testing that is needed for the diagnosis, what happens when a patient is diagnosed, and the treatment.

Pulmonary hypertension is a serious condition that becomes continuously worse and could cause death. Where the disease begins is in the lungs, where it affects the pulmonary arteries, the tiny arteries in the lungs and the capillaries. Both of them become narrowed, blocked or...