What is Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH)?
PAH is high blood pressure that occurs in the pulmonary arteries, the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the lungs. With PAH, the blood vessels that branch off from the arteries have tightened and narrowed, making it difficult for the blood to flow to the lungs and gather oxygen. When this happens, the heart has to work harder to push the blood through the vessels, resulting in high blood pressure in the arteries. Though PAH occurs rarely, it is a serious disease; left untreated, damage to the heart can occur, which can lead to heart failure. That is why early diagnosis is so important.
