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Understanding Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension - PAH

May 9th, 2008 Subscribe To Our Feed

As a basic definition, pulmonary arterial hypertension is when the blood pressure occurring in the pulmonary artery is consistently high. Measured in mmHg (millimeters of mercury) normal is considered to be 12-14 mmHg. Pressure exceeding 25 mmHg indicates the presence of pulmonary hypertension. Although treatment is available, there is no definitive cure for this potentially life-threatening condition.

Basic Review

The pulmonary arteries are the arteries which take deoxygenated blood from the heart to the lungs. It starts at the base of the right ventricle (lower right quadrant of the heart) and then branches into two, right and left, going to the lungs.

For people with PAH, the muscles of the pulmonary arteries become tightened or constricted narrowing the internal space, making it harder for the heart to pump the blood through. Over time the blood vessels become less flexible and thicker, causing blood pressure in the lungs to rise and impairs the blood flow, and may cause small blood clots to form, blocking the arterial passage. At the same time, the right ventricle may start to thicken and become enlarged due as a result of the excess strain of having to work harder at pushing the blood. This can lead to right heart failure syndrome, which is one of the primary causes of death for PAH subjects.

People At Risk

Individual at higher risk for developing pulmonary arterial hypertension include those with prolonged use of appetite suppressants, amphetamines or cocaine, those with HIV, sickle-cell disease, congenital heart disease, cirrhosis, as well as those with scleroderma and other autoimmune diseases. However, researchers have yet to find the exact causes behind the development of PAH and why some individuals are at higher risk than others.

Conditions to Watch For

Because the disease tends to develop gradually over a prolonged period of time, many people tend to put off seeking medical attention, but signs such as shortness of breath, fatigue, fainting, bluish skin and lips, dizziness, (i.e., conditions that point to lack of oxygenation), palpitations, racing heart and chest pain. As the disease progresses, a person’s energy level becomes more impaired as the pumping function of the heart becomes weaker. In advanced stages, even the simplest of life’s tasks will become difficult to carry out to such a degree that symptoms may become prevalent even when the patient is on rest, which may even cause the person to become bedridden.

Personal Treatment Measures

Thankfully not all people suffering from PAH become sick. The sooner individuals implement leading a health lifestyle and eating a healthy diet, the greater the chance of limiting the degree of disease severity. A healthy lifestyle includes getting sufficient rest and doing regular exercise, walking being considered one of the best for people with PAH. Avoid smoking, drugs and alcohol and limit caffeine consumption. Employ effective stress management and relaxation techniques, starting with good abdominal breathing. A healthy diet would be one consisting of lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, low in fat, high in fiber and low in sugar.

Medical Treatment

Ideally treatment involves identifying the underlying causes and working to alleviate the symptoms while improving quality of life. Treatment includes identifying ways to increase oxygenated blood supply, limit damage to the heart and blood vessels and inhibit or at least slow the formation of blood clots. Therefore medications, oxygen supply, and lung transplantation are currently the typical medical interventions.