Risk stratification in PAH.

Paul A Corris

doi:10.21542/gcsp.2020.9

Abstract

[No abstract. Showing first paragraph of article]Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic disease of the pulmonary vasculature characterized by progressive narrowing of the pulmonary arteries leading to increased pulmonary vascular resistance, right heart failure, and ultimately premature death.There has been a significant improvement in the available medical therapeutic options in this field that have impacted the short-term survival and morbidity in these patients. However, the median survival post-diagnosis remains unacceptable at 7 years.Physicians’ ability to predict PAH disease progression and risk allows them to determine the patient’s prognosis, make informed adjustments to therapy, and monitor his or her response to therapy . If widely adopted, risk prediction can enhance the consistency of treatment approaches and improve the timeliness of referral for lung transplantation. This approach should lead optimal, directed care that ultimately reduces morbidity and improves mortality in patients with PAH.

Highlights

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic disease of the pulmonary vasculature characterized by progressive narrowing of the pulmonary arteries leading to increased pulmonary vascular resistance, right heart failure, and premature death[1].There has been a significant improvement in the available medical therapeutic options in this field that have impacted the short-term survival and morbidity in these patients[2]
Laboratory testing Plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is secreted by the left and right ventricles when the cardiac muscle is under stress and has been demonstrated to provide an independent predictor of mortality in patients with PAH9
The degree of right ventricular dysfunction in patients with PAH correlates with increasing levels of BNP

Summary

Introduction

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a chronic disease of the pulmonary vasculature characterized by progressive narrowing of the pulmonary arteries leading to increased pulmonary vascular resistance, right heart failure, and premature death[1].There has been a significant improvement in the available medical therapeutic options in this field that have impacted the short-term survival and morbidity in these patients[2]. A threshold of 440 m is suggestive of a distinction between high-and low-risk patients in pulmonary hypertension guidelines[6,8]. Laboratory testing Plasma brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) is secreted by the left and right ventricles when the cardiac muscle is under stress and has been demonstrated to provide an independent predictor of mortality in patients with PAH9.

Results

Conclusion