PPH Lawyer

Diagnosing Primary Pulmonary Hypertension

Diagnosing Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (PPH) is the first step to being able to treat it. Unfortunately, it is somewhat difficult to diagnose. The symptoms that occur (shortness of breath, dizziness, fainting spells) can often be linked to other issues.

The first step in diagnosing PPH is a physical exam. This exam is helped by having a good medical history on record. A physical exam is an exam in which physicians obtain information by listening, touching, or observing the patient. A physical exam of someone with PPH will often show distension of the veins in the neck, swelling of the legs and hands due to fluid retention, and an enlarged liver. All of these symptoms are due to the right side of the heart having to work harder to pump blood into the constricted pulmonary artery that leads to the lungs.

An electrocardiogram is the next step. If the patient has PPH, the right side of the heart should be enlarged. A chest x-ray will also show the enlarged heart and is an excellent way to track the size of the heart over time. An echocardiogram (or an ultrasound of the heart) will be performed initially and can also be used to monitor the progress of the disease. The echocardiogram will show enlargement of the heart and can also estimate the amount of pressure in the pulmonary artery and the right ventricle.

The best way of making a diagnosis of PPH is by a cardiac catheterization. This will actually measure the pressures on the right side of the heart and the amount of resistance in the blood vessels to and in the lungs. During this step, various drugs will be administered to test the reaction to the drugs. The drugs used are drugs that can later be used in the treatment/control of PPH.

If you have been diagnosed with Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, please contact or call a PPH lawyer at Williams Kherkher in Houston at 1-800-220-9341.