Prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in COPD

Abstract

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in adults all over the world. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a severe disorder defined by a mean pulmonary artery pressure of ≥25 mmHg at rest. Pulmonary hypertension can occur as an isolated disease or as a consequence of a number of underlying diseases and conditions, such as heart failure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). The aim of our study was to study the prevalence of pulmonary hypertension in COPD patients and to highlight the importance of early diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension to prevent further complications.Methods: This was a retrospective observational hospital based study conducted at Integral Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Lucknow U P, during 1st January to 31st December 2017. A total of 210 patients were evaluated for presence of pulmonary hypertension using chest X-ray, electrocardiogram, 2D echocardiography.Results: The present study finding reveals 38.02 % patients of various severity of COPD have findings of pulmonary hypertension, that is similar in prevalence of previous studies.Conclusions: The prevalence of PH in patients with COPD was 38.02%. As PH has an important role in the prognosis of COPD patients, it should be evaluated in as many COPD patients as possible.