Vaskulárna medicína 3-4/2012

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension, actual management

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a grave illness, characteristic by progressive course, very poor life quality and prognosis quod vitam. It is the consequence of unresolved acute or recurrent pulmonary embolism. The diagnostic methods like echocardiography and right heart catheterisation (diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension) and scintigraphy, angiogpraphy are the basis for the treatment decision making – potentially curable surgical method (pulmonary endarterectomy) or conservative treatment (specific pharmacotherapy). The authors present an overview of diagnostic algorithm of CTEPH, they point out the screening resource of risk patients as well as the diagnostic specifics, which fastened the complex management of CTEPH on specialized institutes.

Keywords: chronic thromboembolic pulmonary disease, diagnosis, therapy.