Tests & Treatments for Pulmonary Hypertension at University of Colorado Hospital
Common Tests for Pulmonary Hypertension
The symptoms of pulmonary hypertension, shortness of breath and fatigue, are often vague and mimic other diseases. Also, pulmonary hypertension is associated with other diseases. Therefore, various tests for the disease are needed, including:
Echocardiogram (ECHO)
To identify areas of the heart that are contracting irregularly. The ECHO uses sound waves to create pictures of the heart.
Electrocardiogram (ECG)
To determine the rate and regularity of the heartbeat. The ECG is administered with wires attached to the patient’s body. The wires detect electrical signals from the heart, which are recorded on a machine for the doctor’s review.
Cardiac Catheterization
To determine the pressure on the heart and the blood vessels feeding it. The catheterization requires a small tube to be inserted in an artery or vein the arm or thigh and passed through to the heart. An injection of dye allows your doctor to see the pattern of blood flow to and through the pulmonary artery
CT Scans
To take x-ray pictures of the chest
Pulmonary Function Tests
To assess lung capacity
Ventilation/Perfusion (VQ) Scan
To show blood and oxygen flow through the lungs. The VQ scan uses gamma radiation to produce a picture of the lungs.
Oximetry
To measure the saturation of oxygen in the blood
Sleep Study
To measure breathing overnight.
Treatments for Pulmonary Hypertension
Medications
Medications used in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension center around correcting imbalances in the hormones that control the widening (vasodilation) and narrowing (vasoconstriction) of blood vessels. The medications help to widen the arteries, which causes pulmonary artery pressure to drop, and can be administered orally, intravenously or by inhaler.
Oxygen
Pulmonary hypertension is also treated with oxygen, particularly for patients with hypoxia, a condition caused by a lack of oxygen reaching the tissues of the body and causing blood vessels to constrict.
Lung Transplant
If medication fails to control pulmonary hypertension and the lungs are severely damaged, patients may require lung transplantation.