Diagnosis and hemodynamic assessment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) can occur as either a primary or a secondary process, and in general, its presence increases overall morbidity and mortality. Importantly, the majority of prior studies have been in the setting of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH); thus the following discussion focuses on IPAH. Because the majority of available diagnostic strategies lack sensitivity and specificity, the physician must maintain a high index of suspicion in considering PAH. This article provides an overview of the available diagnostic studies for PAH with a particular focus on hemodynamic assessment. Novel approaches to the often delayed diagnosis of PAH are being studied and are also discussed here.
Saggar
Rajan
R
Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care Medicine, and Hospitalists, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Los Angeles, California 90095-1690, USA. rsaggar@mednet.ucla.edu
Saggar
Rajeev
R
Aboulhosn
Jamil
J
Belperio
John A
JA
Zisman
David A
DA
Lynch
Joseph P
JP
D000328:Adult; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization / Q000379:methods; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity