Pulmonary Hypertension

Question 1

What is pulmonary hypertension?

Answer 1

elevated pulmonary pressure due to increased pulmonary vascular resistance to blood flow, this is abnormal because typically lungs have low pressure and low resistance

Question 2

What does pulmonary hypertension lead to?

Answer 2

pulmonary hypertension increases workload of the right ventricle due to elevated pulmonary pressure–> cor pulmonale–> right sided heart failure

Question 3

Does pulmonary hypertension have a cure?

Answer 3

There is no cure for pulmonary hypertension and there is a poor prognosis of the disease

Question 4

What are the clinical manifestations of pulmonary HTN?

Answer 4

1. dyspnea on exertion is the classic sign

2. chest pain and syncope

Question 5

What are priority interventions for a patient with pulmonary HTN?

Answer 5

1. sildenafil can be used to decrease pulmonary pressure

2. use diuretics to decreases the volume, edema