Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is high blood pressure in the arteries to your lungs. It makes the right side of the heart work harder than normal. Over time, your heart weakens and cannot do its job and you can develop heart failure. We can help.
What is pulmonary hypertension?
If you suffer from pulmonary hypertension, the arteries in your lungs get smaller and tighter, making it harder for blood to flow properly. As the pressure rises in your lungs’ arteries, the right heart ventricle, or the lower right chamber, has to work overtime to pump blood through your lungs. This will eventually cause your heart muscle to weaken and fail.
Pulmonary hypertension is a serious condition and becomes worse over time. Although some forms of pulmonary hypertension aren't curable, treatment can help lessen symptoms and improve quality of life.
Pulmonary hypertension treatments we offer
There is no cure for primary pulmonary hypertension. Treatment manages your symptoms and may include one or more of the following:
- Medicines
- Self-care and exercise therapy
- Oxygen therapy
- Lung or heart-lung transplant
Staying healthy
The condition can be made worse by a number of factors. You can do certain things that will help you stay as healthy as possible. To maintain a healthy lifestyle with primary pulmonary hypertension:
- Don’t smoke.
- Before starting an exercise program, ask your healthcare provider about the type and amount of physical activity that is safe for you.
- Be careful when using prescription and over-the-counter medicines. Ask your doctor or pharmacist which medicines are safe for a person with primary pulmonary hypertension.
- Consider getting a pneumococcal pneumonia vaccine and yearly flu vaccines. Flu and pneumonia can be very dangerous for people with this condition.
Working together with National Jewish Health
Working closely with National Jewish Health, we have developed a pulmonary hypertension program that leverages the vast research and clinical experience of both institutions. Through this clinical partnership, we are able to use progressive protocols and best practices to better diagnose and treat pulmonary hypertension (PH) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
This partnership gives you access to treatment options not available at other hospitals.
Learn more about National Jewish Health’s pulmonary hypertension program.
Clinical trials available through National Jewish Health
- Regadenoson versus Inhaled Nitric Oxide for Pulmonary Vascular Responsiveness: The RHINO Study
- 4D Cardiac MRI for the Prediction of Right Ventricular Failure in Pulmonary Hypertension
- 4D Cardiac MRI for the Assessment of Disease Severity and Prognosis in Pulmonary Hypertension
- 4D Flow Cardiac MRI for the Diagnosis and Assessment of Pulmonary Hypertension