About Pulmonary Hypertension

High blood pressure in the lungs is called pulmonary hypertension (PH) or pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). PAH is a chronic and life-changing disease that can lead to right heart failure if left untreated.

Symptoms of Pulmonary Hypertension

Symptoms of PH, such as breathlessness and fainting, are similar to symptoms of other, more common diseases. Sometimes these symptoms mean you have another condition, but sometimes, these symptoms mean you have pulmonary hypertension. Learn about symptoms of pulmonary hypertension

Diseases Associated with Pulmonary Hypertension

Many pulmonary hypertension patients are diagnosed with PH in association with one or more related conditions. For instance, research shows that up to 30% of scleroderma patients, 20-40% of sickle cell patients and one out of every 200 HIV patients develop PH. Learn more about associated diseases

Ask Your Doctor About Pulmonary Hypertension

If you have symptoms of PH and/or have a disease associated with PH, please ask your doctor to consider pulmonary hypertension, especially if you have been diagnosed with something else with similar symptoms and treatment is not working.

Why Getting Diagnosed Early is So Important

While a number of treatments are available to help you manage your disease and feel better day-to-day, there is currently no cure for pulmonary hypertension. Identifying a disease early is always important, especially for a disease like PH that grows more severe with time. Furthermore, statistics show that it takes patients about 2.8 years from symptom onset to diagnosis, but the median lifespan for a PH patient not receiving treatment is also approximately 2.8 years.* It is critical that patients be diagnosed as early as possible so they can receive treatment and improve their chances for a better quality of life. Learn more about the importance of getting diagnosed early | Learn about how PH is diagnosed

Specialists in PH Offer Critical Expertise on Diagnosis and Treatment

Doctors who specialize in pulmonary hypertension have focused their practices on the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension. Because PH is such a complicated disease to diagnose and treat, it is important that patients suspected of having PH see a PH specialist. Learn more about PH specialists and how to find one in your area  

Learn More About Pulmonary Hypertension

Learn more about pulmonary hypertension, including treatment options and types of PH, on PHA's main website. Learn more about PH

*The mean duration from symptom onset to a confirmed diagnosis by right heart catheterization is 2.8 years. Source: PHA International White Paper, Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Recommendations for Improving Patient Outcomes (2011)
The median survival without treatment is 2.8 years. Source: National Institutes of Health (NIH) 1980 registry on primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH)