Pulmonary Hypertension
Ten years ago, pulmonary hypertension (PH) was a death sentence. If patients were fortunate enough to be diagnosed, they were given two to six years to live, tops. Only two treatments existed, double lung transplant and a medicine given 24/7 through an iv in the chest that went straight to the heart. Five minutes without this medicine could cause rebound PH severe enough to cause death.
A lot has changed, especially in the last few years. There are now seven treatments (not including transplant) for pulmonary hypertension. Unfortunately, they are expensive and often the side effects outweigh the benefits. With more research, doctors could find better treatments and eventually a cure.
To put it simply, pulmonary hypertension is high blood pressure of the lungs. The pulmonary artery and vessels in the lungs narrow, making it harder for the heart to receive oxygen-rich blood. This makes the heart enlarge as it pumps harder to keep the body oxygenated. Eventually the heart can no longer handle the pressure and gives out.
PH affects all ages and ethnic backgrounds, though is mainly diagnosed in women of child-bearing age. It can be caused by other diseases, such as scleroderma, lupus or HIV. It can also be triggered by taking fen-phen or having a heart defect. Often patients have idiopathic PH in which the cause is unknown. There are over 100,000 people with PH in the United States alone.
Being diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension is life-changing. Because the symptoms of breathlessness, dizziness and fatigue can be attributed to so many other problems, PH is often not diagnosed until the disease has progressed to an irreversible level. Many patients are too sick to work and simple tasks such as grocery shopping or climbing a flight of stairs are exhausting, if not impossible. But with today's treatments, patients are living as long as ten to fifteen years. They are able to live more normal lives, blending into society with their infusion pumps and oxygen tanks.
There are many drugs in development and we need to make sure researchers get the funding to get FDA approval as quickly as possible. Each new drug is another chance at life. For more detailed information visit the Pulmonary Hypertension Association.
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