Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a disease that can be life-threatening if not treated. There is no permanent cure, but the symptoms of the disease can be treated to improve the quality of life. This article explains the symptoms and causes of pulmonary arterial hypertension and lists out how treatment can be given.

Symptoms and causes
The symptoms and causes of pulmonary arterial hypertension happen because of problems in the cells of the pulmonary arteries. This is due to many reasons:

• Genetic conditions and family history of PAH.
• Certain blood disorders and metabolic conditions.
• Certain heart diseases and lung diseases can lead to PAH.
• Other conditions like liver disease and HIV can cause PAH.

All these conditions cause thickening of the walls of the artery. This makes it difficult for blood to flow. This causes symptoms like:

• Shortness of breath.
• Chest pain or discomfort
• Increased heartbeat and palpitations
• Dizziness and fainting episodes
• Cyanosis with lips and skin becoming blue
• Ascites or fluid accumulation in the stomach

When not treated, it can lead to heart or lung failure and bleeding in the lungs. It can be fatal, leading to death.

PAH prognosis
There are various types of PAH and it also is based on the extent of the symptoms. The prognosis depends on these factors. While PAH cannot be cured, medication and other treatments can ensure improvement in the quality of life.

In most people, PAH is likely to increase and symptoms worsen. A study showed that 85% of patients had a one-year survival rate. 57% of patients in the study had a five-year survival rate.

Treatment
In many cases, PAH is caused by blood disorders, heart disease, lung disease, or any other conditions. In such a situation, the underlying disease or condition needs to be treated. This can improve the symptoms of PAH.

There are various types of medication that can be used to treat PAH. This includes:

• Vasodilators are used to dilate blood vessels to reduce blood pressure.
• Calcium channel blockers can be used to relax muscles in the blood vessel allowing a smooth flow of blood.
• sGC stimulator medications can relax pulmonary arteries to lower blood pressure.
• Endothelin receptor antagonists work on endothelin. This makes the blood vessel become narrow.
• Medicines like sildenafil, which is used to treat erectile dysfunction, can be helpful in dilating blood vessels.
• Those at risk of developing a blood clot may be given anticoagulants to prevent clotting of blood in the lungs.
• Medicines can be given to reduce the heartbeat rate and prevent palpitations.
• Diuretics are given to remove excess fluid for those who have ascites.
• Oxygen therapy is recommended for breathing problems and for those who live at higher altitudes and experience this problem.

All these medications can have varying side effects and would be prescribed based on the patient’s medical history.

Open-heart surgery may be required for some patients. In very serious cases, a transplant may be the only option.

This article on symptoms and causes of pulmonary hypertension lists out how the causes, symptoms, and explains the different ways of treating this disease.