title: Management of Crashing Patients with Pulmonary Hypertension.
abstract: Critically ill patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) often seem well, but they can decompensate dramatically in a short time. PH has several causes, classes, and complications; but the natural progression eventually leads to right ventricular failure, which can be extraordinarily difficult to manage. The purpose of this review is to discuss the causes, signs, and symptoms of PH as well as its management strategies and emergent complications. Treatment options are often limited, so it is imperative that the emergency department physician can recognize and manage these patients in a timely fashion.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, Ground floor, Ravdin Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, 3400 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. Electronic address: johncgreenwood@gmail.com.
authors.forename: John C
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Greenwood
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 110 South Paca Street, 6th Floor, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
authors.forename: Ryan M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Spangler
mesh_terms: D001810:Blood Volume / Q000502:physiology; D019468:Disease Management; D004562:Electrocardiography / Q000379:methods; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000628:therapy*; D013902:Radiography, Thoracic / Q000379:methods; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000379:methods*; D018497:Ventricular Dysfunction, Right
keywords: Cardiogenic shock; Pulmonary hypertension; Right ventricular failure