Vaskulárna medicína 4/2010

Hypertension in pulmonary circulation

Hypertension in pulmonary circulation, e.g. pulmonary hypertension (PH) has been defined as a hemodynamic and pathophysiological state with an increase in mean pulmonary arterial pressure ≥ 25 mmHg at rest assessed by right heart catheterization. This state can be found in multiple clinical conditions. Generally is PH severe, progressive and problematically curable disease. The syndrome of PH is according to actual classification divided in 5 groups (pulmonary arterial hypertension, PH due to left heart disease, PH due to respiratory diseases, chronic thromboembolic PH, PH with unclear mechanisms) with similar pathogenesis, histological finding, clinical picture and treatment. With increased knowledge of underlying pathofysiologic mechanisms disease management (specific therapy) is continuing to evolve. The primary detection of the wide spectrum of diseases associated with PH lies in broad medical specialities. Because of particularities of diagnostics and treatment is necessary to concentrate the management of PH in expert centres, in our country in heart centres.

Keywords: pulmonary arterial hypertension, classification, diagnosis, treatment