Classification, Diagnosis, and Medical Treatment of Pulmonary Hypertension

Abstract

Pulmonary hypertension is a condition characterized by elevated blood pressure in pulmonary arteries due to increased muscle mass of vessel walls, leading to arterial constriction and reduced blood oxygenation. Commonly classified into five major groups, pulmonary hypertension is often viewed as quite rare when, in fact, it is far more common than traditionally advertised. It is also an extremely debilitating disease with far-reaching economic, societal, personal, and psychosocial impacts, especially in underserved populations. Though 10 FDA-approved medications—targeting four different biological pathways—have come to market over the last 20 years, more recent research has focused on complex signaling pathways regulating hypoxic and metabolic signaling, proliferation, apoptosis, senescence, and inflammation. In this chapter, we provide an overview of pulmonary hypertension’s prevalence and widespread impact, its underlying pathophysiology and clinical presentations, currently recognized treatment strategies, recommended regimens in special populations, and emerging therapeutic options and fields of research.