Identifying patients at risk for chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension

Abstract

Patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension represent a subgroup of patients suffering from pulmonary hypertension. The disease is characterized by chronic, non-resolving thromboembolic obstruction of pulmonary arteries following one or more episodes of pulmonary embolism and involving both large vessel and small vessel dysfunction in the lungs [ [1] Piazza G. Goldhaber S.Z. Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. N Engl J Med. 2011; 364: 351-360 Crossref PubMed Scopus (276) Google Scholar ]. Clinically, the most important manifestations are shortness of breath, fatigue and symptoms as a consequence of right sided heart failure, all resulting in a significantly affected quality of life and even enhanced mortality.