title: Diagnosis and assessment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.
abstract: The diagnosis and assessment of pulmonary arterial hypertension is a rapidly evolving area, with changes occurring in the definition of the disease, screening and diagnostic techniques, and staging and follow-up assessment. The definition of pulmonary hypertension has been simplified, and is now based on currently available evidence. There has been substantial progress in advancing the imaging techniques and biomarkers used to screen patients for the disease and to follow up their response to therapy. The importance of accurate assessment of right ventricular function in following up the clinical course and response to therapy is more fully appreciated. As new therapies are developed for pulmonary arterial hypertension, screening, prompt diagnosis, and accurate assessment of disease severity become increasingly important. A clear definition of pulmonary hypertension and the development of a rational approach to diagnostic assessment and follow-up using both conventional and new tools will be essential to deriving maximal benefit from our expanding therapeutic armamentarium.
authors: Divisions of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine and Cardiology, University of Colorado Health Sciences Center, Denver, Colorado. Electronic address: David.Badesch@uchdenver.edu.
authors: David B
authors: DB
authors: Badesch
authors: Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
authors: Hunter C
authors: HC
authors: Champion
authors: Heart Failure and Pulmonary Hypertension Unit, Hospital Universitario Doce de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.
authors: Miguel Angel
authors: MA
authors: Gomez Sanchez
authors: Department of Respiratory Medicine, University of Hannover Medical School, Hannover, Germany.
authors: Marius M
authors: MM
authors: Hoeper
authors: Department of Medicine, Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, Nashville, Tennessee.
authors: James E
authors: JE
authors: Loyd
authors: Institute of Cardiology, University of Bologna, Bologna, Italy.
authors: Alessandra
authors: A
authors: Manes
authors: Mayo Clinic College of Medicine, Rochester, Minnesota.
authors: Michael
authors: M
authors: McGoon
authors: Departments of Pathophysiology and Cardiology, Erasme Academic Hospital, Free University of Brussels, Brussels, Belgium.
authors: Robert
authors: R
authors: Naeije
authors: Pulmonology Division, University Clinic of Internal Medicine, Medical University Graz, Graz, Austria.
authors: Horst
authors: H
authors: Olschewski
authors: Liu Center for Pulmonary Hypertension, Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute, Harbor-UCLA Medical Center, Torrance, California.
authors: Ronald J
authors: RJ
authors: Oudiz
authors: Department of Chest Medicine, Institute of Tuberculosis and Lung Diseases, Medical University of Warsaw, Warsaw, Poland.
authors: Adam
authors: A
authors: Torbicki
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015150:Echocardiography, Doppler; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology; D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain / Q000097:blood; D010446:Peptide Fragments / Q000097:blood; D011379:Prognosis; D012016:Reference Values; D016278:Ventricular Function, Right / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D010446:Peptide Fragments; C109794:pro-brain natriuretic peptide (1-76); D020097:Natriuretic Peptide, Brain; D011464:Epoprostenol