Pulmonary Hypertension

Authors: Abel P Wakai / Editor: Jason M Kendall / Reviewer: Stewart McMorran, Eugene Henry / Code: A1 / Published: 30/07/2021

Description:

Patients with known pulmonary hypertension may present to the emergency department with a variety of acute problems related to this disease such as pulmonary embolism, acute right heart failure, cardiac arrest, catheter-related sepsis and technical problems with intravenous catheters. In patients with previously undiagnosed pulmonary hypertension, the emergency physician is in a strong position to consider the initial diagnosis as long as there is a high index of suspicion in any patient presenting with breathlessness in the absence of an alternative cause of cardiorespiratory disease.

After completing this session you will be able to:

  • Define pulmonary hypertension
  • Identify the clinical conditions associated with pulmonary hypertension
  • Recognise the pathophysiology of pulmonary hypertension and related right heart failure
  • Know when to suspect the presence of pulmonary hypertension
  • Recognise the problems associated with pulmonary hypertension that may present to the emergency department
  • Identify current management options for pulmonary hypertension
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