Treatment for Pulmonary Hypertension Is Available
Posted on 19. Nov, 2009 by Kathy Forcey in Diet & Nutrition
Have you or a loved one just been diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension? Are you wondering what options are available? This condition is unable to be cured easily, but pulmonary hypertension treatment can be found.
PH affects the heart and lungs and is not a very common disorder.This disease occurs when blood vessels between the heart and lungs are constricted or blocked. The result is a spike in your pressure as your heart pumps harder to get blood through. The huge strain on the heart makes it become enlarged and cannot work efficiently or effectively. This usually brings on heart failure.
As with most acute or chronic illnesses, the first medical therapy is medication in the form of pills. You may need to take anticoagulants to prevent blood clots and let the blood flow more freely. Excess fluid in the body’s tissue can cause swelling and make breathing more difficult. Diuretics are used to reduce that extra water. Vasodilators cause lowered blood pressure levels so your heart is not as overworked.
Pulmonary hypertension can also be helped by surgical procedures. Some cases are brought on by a clot in the pulmonary arteries. In that situation, the blockage can be surgically removed and your health will improve. If your illness progresses into both lung and heart failure, the prognosis is not good. If caught in time and the appropriate pulmonary hypertension treatment administered, it is unlikely this will happen, however.
The only known cure for pulmonary hypertension is a surgically performed lung transplant. There is a shortage of donors and a long waiting list, however. This procedure is only for advanced cases that did not respond to other types of medical attention and is a last effort. Once the lung transplant is effective, the heart eventually returns to its normal size and the symptoms disappear. It is costly, dangerous, and lung donors must be a correct match for it to be successful.
There are several lifestyle changes you can make to keep your symptoms under control. Try to reduce stress by relaxing so your blood pressure won’t spike. Don’t smoke unless you want to make things a lot worse. Keep your salt intake fairly low and stay on a fresher diet without so many processed foods. Moderate exercise is helpful but should be undertaken only under the advice of a doctor.
Pulmonary hypertension is a devastating disorder and can be fatal for some patients. Do everything that your doctor recommends without hesitation. Pulmonary hypertension treatment can work depending on the type and severity, but you must try to relax and focus on controlling your health.
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