PH is high blood pressure in the lungs. It happens when the arteries that deliver blood to the lungs become narrow or blocked. With reduced blood flow, your heart must work harder than normal to get enough oxygen to the lungs.

Hypertension is high blood pressure that affects the whole body. Your doctor can measure it with a blood pressure cuff.

PH only affects the lungs and is harder to diagnose. Symptoms of PH are similar to several other common lung conditions. They’re easy to mistake for symptoms of asthma or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).

That’s one reason it’s important to see a lung expert with experience treating PH. 

Symptoms of PH include:

• Shortness of breath
• Chest pain
• Dry cough and wheezing
• Dizziness or fainting
• Nausea and vomiting
• A hoarse voice
• Fatigue
• Swollen legs, feet, and belly
• Weakness

Anyone can get PH, but it’s more common among women, people between 30 and 60 years old and people who smoke.

Causes of PH include:

• Heart disease
• Heart defects
• COPD
• Obstructive sleep apnea
• Liver disease
• Sickle cell anemia
• Blood clots
• Connective tissue disorders

There are 5 main types of PH. Doctors group them by causes or underlying conditions.

• Pulmonary arterial hypertension (group 1): The most common type of PH. It may come from infection, connective tissue disorders, autoimmune disorders, or unknown causes
• Pulmonary hypertension due to left-side heart disease (group 2): If you have long-term heart disease, it can result in damage to the arteries of the lungs
• Pulmonary hypertension caused by lung diseases or low oxygen levels (group 3): Causes include COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, sleep apnea, lung abnormalities, or chronic high-altitude exposure
• Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (group 4): When blood clots in the lungs form scar-like tissue that blocks or narrows the arteries
• Pulmonary hypertension from other disorders (group 5): These include blood disorders, tumors, thyroid disease, and chronic kidney failure

PH can be difficult to diagnose. It’s important to see a lung expert with experience treating different types of PH. To confirm a diagnosis, your care team may recommend a right heart catheterization. This test measures how well your heart is working and checks the blood pressure in your lungs. It’s the most accurate way to know if you have PH.

We can help manage your PH with:

• Lifestyle changes: A healthy diet and regular exercise can help lower your blood pressure and cholesterol. Both factors can contribute to PH.
• Medicine: Some drugs can help control PH. They include high blood pressure medicine and blood thinners. We offer a range of options.
• Thoracic surgery: Sometimes the best treatment may be an operation. Surgery can remove blood clots from your lungs. It may also lower blood pressure and improve heart function.
• Oxygen therapy: Gives you more oxygen with each inward breath. It doesn’t cure PH but can help reduce shortness of breath.

Our specialized programs

The doctors at Carilion have many years of experience diagnosing and treating PH. We’re also the area’s leaders in lung disease research, offering clinical trials and unique programs to improve care.

Our Pulmonary Hypertension Program brings together a team of medical experts who work closely to give you the best possible treatment. You benefit from doctors, nurses, and researchers who focus on every part of your care journey.

We’re also studying new ways to treat PH with clinical trials. By combining expert care with cutting-edge research, we give you access to treatments and studies that may shape the future of PH care.