Pulmonary Hypertension

PAH Caused by Undiagnosed Systemic Sclerosis in Case Study - Pulmonary Hypertension News PAH Caused by Undiagnosed Systemic Sclerosis in Case Study - Pulmonary Hypertension News Posted: 29 Jul 2020 09:00 AM PDT A case report found a patient's pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was caused by an undiagnosed case of the autoimmune disorder  systemic sclerosis (SSc), highlighting the need for early and thorough diagnostic workups, researchers say. The 77-year-old woman's PAH was also worsened by other conditions, including lung disease, sleep apnea, heart failure, and chronic anemia, which made the diagnosis difficult.  With multiple possible causes for PAH, researchers recommend that attention be paid to undiagnosed autoimmune disorders that may play a role in the disease's development.  "Development of severe pulmonary hypertension and [lung disease] leading to diagnosis of SSc in th...

Scleroderma Study Links Sleep Apnea With High Blood Pressure in Lungs - Scleroderma News Scleroderma Study Links Sleep Apnea With High Blood Pressure in Lungs - Scleroderma News Posted: 20 Jul 2020 12:00 AM PDT Obstructive sleep apnea  (OSA) is associated with an increased risk of pulmonary hypertension in people with scleroderma , a study suggests. The study, " Impact of concomitant obstructive sleep apnea on pulmonary involvement and main pulmonary artery diameter in adults with scleroderma ," was published in the journal Sleep and Breathing . Up to 90% of people with scleroderma experience some form of lung involvement . For instance, up to 40% of people with scleroderma will develop pulmonary arterial hypertension ( PAH ), which refers to high blood pressure within the lungs. OSA occurs when the muscles of the throat relax abnormally during sleep, causing the airways to become blocked. Although the associati...

Fusion protein holds promise for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension - Medical Xpress Fusion protein holds promise for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension - Medical Xpress Posted: 21 Jul 2020 12:00 AM PDT Credit: CC0 Public Domain Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an insidious disease. Symptoms may begin slowly, and even before they appear, extensive damage has caused the obstruction of small arteries leading to increased blood pressure in the lungs. By the time symptoms—most notably, shortness of breath—become severe enough for someone with PAH to seek care and obtain a definitive diagnosis, the patient's chances of survival at five years are slightly better than 50 percent on currently available treatments. Paul B. Yu, MD, Ph.D., a cardiovascular medicine specialist at Brigham and Women's Hospital, has been studying PAH for more than 15 years to better understand the fundamental process in which blood ves...

Pulmonary Hypertension With ILD: Diagnostic and Treatment Challenges - Pulmonology Advisor Pulmonary Hypertension With ILD: Diagnostic and Treatment Challenges - Pulmonology Advisor Posted: 14 Jul 2020 12:00 AM PDT Although pulmonary hypertension as a result of interstitial lung disease (PH-ILD) is commonly encountered in clinical practice and linked to significant morbidity and mortality, there is no consensus regarding screening or management of the disease. A recent review published in CHEST details the challenges involved in the diagnosis and treatment of PH-ILD. 1 "We have the tools we need to make a diagnosis of PH in ILD. However, it is often difficult to determine what contributes more to patients' symptomatology — underlying ILD or superimposed PH," according to coauthor Oksana A. Shlobin, MD, FCCP, medical director of the Pulmonary Hypertension Program and director of education for the Advanced Lung Disease and Tra...

Uptravi Safe and Effective Add-on Treatment for Children With PAH... - Pulmonary Hypertension News Uptravi Safe and Effective Add-on Treatment for Children With PAH... - Pulmonary Hypertension News Posted: 10 Jul 2020 12:00 AM PDT Uptravi ( selexipag ), an approved oral therapy for adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), appears to also be safe and effective as an add-on treatment for children and adolescents, improving several relevant markers of the disease , a small study found. Its researchers recommended larger studies in this patient group "to elucidate its broader applicability and usefulness in clinical care." The study, " Selexipag for the treatment of children with pulmonary arterial hypertension: First multicenter experience in drug safety and efficacy ," was published in the Journal of Heart and Lung Transplantation . Children and adults with PAH are living...

CTEPH Severity Assessed by Dual Energy CT Parameters and Hemodynamics - Pulmonology Advisor CTEPH Severity Assessed by Dual Energy CT Parameters and Hemodynamics - Pulmonology Advisor Posted: 30 Jul 2020 08:30 AM PDT In patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), lung perfused blood volume (PBV) and mean pulmonary artery (PA) enhancement could be indicators of hemodynamics, according the results of a retrospective analysis published in the Journal of Computer Assisted Tomography . Investigators sought to evaluate the link between dual-energy computed tomography (CT) quantitative parameters and hemodynamics in patients with CTEPH. Between April 2014 and July 2017, a total of 58 consecutive patients who had undergone dual-energy CT for a detailed examination or follow-up of their CTEPH received treatment at Nagoya University Hospital in Japan. A CTEPH diagnosis was confirmed with the use of ventilation/perfusion sci...

PAH Caused by Undiagnosed Systemic Sclerosis in Case Study - Pulmonary Hypertension News PAH Caused by Undiagnosed Systemic Sclerosis in Case Study - Pulmonary Hypertension News Posted: 29 Jul 2020 09:00 AM PDT A case report found a patient's pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was caused by an undiagnosed case of the autoimmune disorder  systemic sclerosis (SSc), highlighting the need for early and thorough diagnostic workups, researchers say. The 77-year-old woman's PAH was also worsened by other conditions, including lung disease, sleep apnea, heart failure, and chronic anemia, which made the diagnosis difficult.  With multiple possible causes for PAH, researchers recommend that attention be paid to undiagnosed autoimmune disorders that may play a role in the disease's development.  "Development of severe pulmonary hypertension and [lung disease] leading to diagnosis of SSc in th...