Pulmonary Hypertension --> Awareness

Specialty Definition: Lung

The lung is an organ belonging to the respiratory system and interfacing to the circulatory system of air-breathing vertebrates. Its function is to exchange oxygen from air with carbon dioxide from blood. The process in which this happens is called "external respiration" or breathing. Medical terms related to the lung often start in pulmo- from the Latin word pulmones for lungs.

Lung - Noun

1. Either of two saclike respiratory organs in the chest of vertebrates; serves to remove carbon dioxide and provide oxygen to the blood.

Pulmonary hypertension is classified into five different types:

· Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) -- This form affects the blood vessels in the lungs that carry blood from the heart into the lungs where it picks up oxygen. This category is subdivided into two types:

• Primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH), which can occur for no discernable reason or - in about 10 percent of cases -> is inherited. It is very rare. It most often occurs in young adults and is more than twice as common in women as men
• PAH related to exposure to toxins including diet drugs such as fenphen; street drugs including cocaine and methamphetamine; HIV; collagen vascular diseases including scleroderma, lupus and rheumatoid arthritis; chronic liver disease; and congenital heart diseases. Considered more common but is still rare.
  

· Pulmonary Venous Hypertension (PVH) -- This form is caused by diseases of the left side of the heart, such as heart failure or mitral valve disease. This can increase pulmonary artery blood pressure but usually doesn't become severe PAH.

· Respiratory System -- Pulmonary hypertension can be associated with diseases of the respiratory system including interstitial lung disease, emphysema, asthmatic bronchitis, sleep apnea and chronic exposure to high altitude.

· Chronic Blood Clots -- Blood clots in the lung blood vessels

· Blood Vessel Disorders -- Pulmonary hypertension due to disorders directly affecting the blood vessels in the lungs such as parasites, or inflammation of the blood vessels.

There is so much information out there I am amazed I don't have my degree in PH yet *;*

Merle - OHPA

Hey Judi -- Happy Care Taker Day

Remember to always SMILE -- it's contagious