Open AccessEchocardiography and Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Author(s) -
Eduardo Bossone,
Rodolfo Citro,
A Ruggiero,
Bettina Kuersten,
G. De Gregorio,
Francesco Blasi,
L. Allegra
Publication year - 2016
Publication title -
monaldi archives for chest disease. pulmonary series/monaldi archives for chest disease/monaldi archives for chest disease. cardiac series
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.196
H-Index - 46
eISSN - 2465-101X
pISSN - 1122-0643
DOI - 10.4081/monaldi.2007.440
Subject(s) - medicine , cardiology , pulmonary hypertension , pulmonary artery , ventricle , pulmonary arterial pressure , vascular resistance , heart failure , blood pressure , radiology
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is an heterogeneous condition brought on by a wide range of causes. It is characterized by structural changes in small pulmonary arteries, that produce a progressive increase in pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance, ultimately leading to right ventricle failure and death. Given the non-specific nature of its early symptoms and signs, PAH is often diagnosed in its advanced stages. Along with a careful clinical assessment and an accurate electrocardiogram/Chest X-ray interpretation, echocardiography is an essential test in the evaluation of patient with PAH. In fact it not only provides an accurate estimate of pulmonary pressure at rest and during exercise, but may also help to exclude any secondary causes, predict the prognosis, monitor the efficacy of specific therapeutic interventions and detect the preclinical stage of the disease.