What is Pulmonary Hypertension? Symptoms and Causes Explained

Pulmonary hypertension is a type of high blood pressure that affects the lungs, arteries, and the right side of the heart. If it remains uncontrolled, it can gradually worsen over time and can be life-threatening.

Proper treatment and precautions can help you control the condition in time. Pulmonary hypertension is different from high blood pressure. In pulmonary hypertension, the small arteries in the lungs become narrowed and blocked. This makes it difficult for blood to pass through them and your heart has to work harder to pump the blood. The harder the heart works to pump the blood, the weaker the muscle becomes. Weakened heart muscle can also gradually lead to heart failure.

Symptoms of Pulmonary Hypertension:

You may not experience any symptoms of pulmonary hypertension in the early stages. The first symptom that you may experience in the early stages is difficulty breathing while doing various activities.

Other symptoms that you may experience are fatigue, swelling in the legs, chest pain, sometimes the blue color of the lips and skin, racing heartbeat, dizziness, digestive imbalance, etc.

Treatment and Prevention:

Doctors perform several tests to prevent pulmonary hypertension. Medications and sometimes surgery are recommended to treat this disease. You should eat a healthy diet, exercise regularly, reduce the consumption of processed foods, control salt intake, and maintain a healthy weight so that you can prevent pulmonary hypertension and other conditions that can also affect your heart.