What is pulmonary hypertension?
Pulmonary hypertension (PULL-mun-ary HI-per-TEN-shun), or PH, is increased pressure in the pulmonary arteries. These arteries carry blood from your heart to your lungs to pick up oxygen. PH causes symptoms such as shortness of breath during routine activity (for example, climbing two flights of stairs), tiredness, chest pain, and a racing heartbeat. As the disease worsens, its symptoms may limit all physical activity.
Pulmonary hypertension is a condition in which the blood pressure in the lungs is too high. Having a pulmonary embolism can lead to pulmonary hypertension after a blood clot in the lungs causes the heart to work harder to push blood through the affected vessels. When the heart is strained in this situation, it increases the blood pressure within those vessels and can wear out a section of the heart.
