Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a disease that leads to increased blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries. This can be fatal if not treated in time, as it can result in heart failure. This article explains the symptoms and causes of pulmonary arterial hypertension and along with the risk factors of the condition and how its diagnosis is done.

Causes of pulmonary arterial hypertension
This condition can occur on its own or be caused by another disease. The cells in the pulmonary arteries becoming hard or thick in one suffering from this condition.

There are various causes for this including:

• Genetic reasons.
• Heart disease or heart-related problems.
• Side effects of some medication.
• Other diseases and conditions including HIV, connective tissue disorders, pulmonary fibrosis, clots in the lung, tumors pressing on the lungs, and sarcoidosis.
• COPD and sleep apnea.
• Exposure to high altitudes for a long period.

Symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension
Some of the symptoms of the condition include difficulty in breathing and shortness of breath, pain or pressure in the chest, fatigue, heart palpitations, bluish lips and skin, and fainting.

These symptoms can worsen as the blood pressure in the arteries increase. It can cause enlargement of the heart and may even cause heart failure. Bleeding into the lungs is also a potential complication. If not treated in time, it can be fatal.

Risk factors of pulmonary arterial hypertension
There are certain risk factors that can make a person be more vulnerable to developing pulmonary arterial hypertension. If you face any of these risk factors, you need to watch out for the symptoms and consult a doctor immediately if you observe them.

• Anyone whose family members have this condition is at high risk of developing it.
• Obesity can worsen this condition.
• Using drugs like cocaine or meth aggravates the risk.
• Medicines that suppress appetite can cause pulmonary arterial hypertension.
• Those who have lung-related problems like obstructive lung disease or sleep apnea are more likely to develop it.
• People living at high altitudes are at a higher risk.

Diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension
Diagnosing this condition isn’t very easy since its symptoms often do not show up till quite late. Also, it is possible that the signs are confused with other lung or heart problems since there is nothing particularly distinctive about them. A doctor would diagnose the disease based on one’s medical history, physical examination, and carrying out various tests.

Some of the ways in which a doctor can diagnose pulmonary arterial hypertension include:

• Blood tests that detect blood disorders.
• An ECG to test for heart abnormalities.
• An X-ray of the chest can check for ventricular problems.
• An echocardiogram can help in finding out the pressure in the pulmonary arteries. This will help in diagnosing the disease so that treatment can be given at the earliest.