Five things you should know about pulmonary hypertension

Many people are familiar with the term “high blood pressure,” also known as hypertension.

We see it repeated in advertisements, public service announcements, and on the news. But there is another, lesser-known form of high blood pressure called pulmonary hypertension, which affects the arteries of the lungs. Like other forms of high blood pressure, pulmonary hypertension can lead to heart failure and other serious complications if left untreated.

We asked M Health Fairview Cardiologist Sonia Jain, MD, MBBS to share more information about the causes, symptoms, and treatments of pulmonary hypertension. Jain sees patients at M Health Fairview Southdale Hospital and M Health Fairview Ridges Hospital.

Jain is part of a dedicated team at M Health Fairview Heart Care, specialized in treating various forms of pulmonary hypertension with a range of surgical and non-surgical therapies.

The M Health Fairview Pulmonary Hypertension program at M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center is one of just a handful nationwide to be accredited as a Center of Comprehensive Care by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA). The program provides advanced level care for patients with pulmonary hypertension including medication administered through an IV, surgical and non-surgical interventions.

Read on for five things you should know about pulmonary hypertension. Learn more about our team of specialists, or schedule a visit by calling 612-365-5000.

Pulmonary hypertension affects the lungs and right side of the heart.

Pulmonary hypertension is a relatively rare type of high blood pressure that can affect the small arteries of the lungs and the right side of the heart. In one form of pulmonary hypertension, the small arteries in the lungs—called arterioles—become narrowed, blocked, or destroyed. This increases pressure in the large artery of the lungs, called the pulmonary artery. The pulmonary artery carries oxygen-depleted blood from the heart’s right ventricle back to the lungs, where the blood is refreshed with oxygen.

Increased pressure in the pulmonary artery forces the right ventricle to work harder to pump blood. Over time, this weakens the right side of the heart and can cause heart failure. Pulmonary hypertension is different from systemic hypertension, which is high blood pressure in the aorta. 

There are five types of pulmonary hypertension.

Pulmonary hypertension has a variety of causes and has been categorized into several groups by the World Health Organization (WHO):

Group 1

Also known as pulmonary arterial hypertension, this group includes pulmonary hypertension caused by inherited genetic mutations, connective tissue diseases (such as scleroderma, lupus, or rheumatoid arthritis), congenital heart disease, certain medications and illicit drugs, or other medical conditions such as HIV infection, liver disease, and sickle cell disease. This group also includes pulmonary hypertension without a known cause, which is called idiopathic pulmonary hypertension.

Group 2

The second group includes pulmonary hypertension that is caused by left heart disease – the most common cause of pulmonary hypertension. Left heart disease can include systolic heart failure, diastolic heart failure or valve disease, among other related heart conditions.

Group 3

Group 3 includes pulmonary hypertension that is caused by diseases of the lungs and low oxygen levels. This can include conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), lung fibrosis, and obstructive sleep apnea. 

Group 4

Group 4 is also known as chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). It’s caused by chronic blood clots on the lungs—also known as pulmonary emboli – that can scar and block blood vessels over time. M Health Fairview University of Minnesota Medical Center is one of just a handful of facilities nationwide to offer both surgical and non-surgical interventions for CTEPH. 

Group 5

Group 5 includes pulmonary hypertension that is caused by a variety of factors or conditions including blood disorders, metabolic disorders, and other causes that don’t fit into the other four groups.