Pulmonary hypertension is a condition where the blood pressure in the lungs increases. This disease affects the lungs and be quite dangerous. When the blood pressure in the arteries or veins of the lungs is increased the person experiencing it can suffer a lot of damage. Pulmonary hypertension can be divided into primary pulmonary hypertension and secondary pulmonary hypertension. Primary pulmonary hypertension usually has an unknown cause but is attributed sometimes to genetic factors, an auto immune disease or the use of certain substances. The abuse of several drugs has been linked with the development of this condition. This type of hypertension is very dangerous and mostly affects women younger than 40 years.
Secondary pulmonary hypertension is the type of hypertension that has a known cause such as bronchitis, emphysema and pulmonary embolism. The condition will cause an increased blood flow in the pulmonary artery. This can constrict the blood vessels that lead to the heart which can produce a heart attack. Some symptoms related to this condition are fatigue, chest pain and cough. Another symptom that a person might experience is inflammation of the legs.
The prognosis for pulmonary hypertension is usually poor. This life threatening disease has no known cure yet but there are several treatments available to extend the life expectancy of the patients. One of the treatments is the lung and heart transplant. This is necessary as transplanting the lung alone is not enough to compensate for the damage. The use of anticoagulants is very helpful too for the victims of pulmonary high blood pressure. Anticoagulants prevent the formation of blood clots, helping to ease the strain on the cardiovascular system. Other medications commonly use to treat this disease is the calcium channel blockers and vasodilators. Calcium channel blockers assist in opening the vascular smooth muscles in the lungs. The vasodilators trigger a reaction in the cells to expand the blood vessels and in consequence lower the blood pressure.
Some exercise can also be done in order to improve the life of the patient. Exercising should only be done in a moderate amount and with the approval of the doctor. The early detection of the disease is critical in order ensure a greater life expectancy for the victim. Treatment for the condition can help in adding a couple of years to the life of the patient. Living a healthy life style, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables and exercise regularly can help in preventing difficult diseases.
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