Pulmonary hypertension is high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs, as well as the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the lungs.

Simon Pierre Niyonsenga, the Diabetes, Renal, Respiratory and Other Metabolic Diseases Programs Director at Rwanda Biomedical Center (RBC), says pulmonary hypertension is different from systemic, or regular, hypertension, which affects the arteries throughout the body, outside the heart and lungs.

He explains that when it comes to pulmonary hypertension, it normally makes the heart work harder to pump blood through the lungs.

This, he explains, can trigger a number of disruptive symptoms and, eventually, can cause the right side of the heart to become enlarged and unable to adequately pump blood.

"The damage to the heart from pulmonary hypertension can lead to serious and even life-threatening complications if it’s not well managed,” Niyonsenga says. 

Although pulmonary hypertension develops slowly over years, he says the symptoms tend to get worse.

Also, the symptoms resemble those of other medical issues which, according to Niyonsenga, can even make the condition difficult to recognise. 

These include shortness of breath, fatigue or weakness, reduced appetite, cough (may be dry or produce blood) among others.

Causes 

Everiste Ntaganda, the cardiovascular diseases officer at RBC, says pulmonary hypertension may be caused by some factors, including health conditions that cause damage to the lungs, the left side of the heart, or the pulmonary arteries.

He notes that identifying pulmonary hypertension causes can be difficult, and sometimes no specific cause is determined.

Ntaganda adds that health conditions that may cause or contribute to pulmonary hypertension include blood clots in the lungs (pulmonary embolism), tumours in the lungs, being overweight or obese, chronic kidney disease, and HIV among other factors.

"Depending on what has caused the condition, pulmonary hypertension may get better or worse,” he says.

When it comes to a cure, Ntaganda says there’s no direct cure for pulmonary hypertension. In some people, however, the condition may be improved or resolved if it’s caused by a treatable underlying health condition.

In some cases, Ntaganda notes, pulmonary hypertension gets worse over time and may lead to life-threatening complications.

To improve the symptoms, and prevent or delay the worsening of pulmonary hypertension, experts say that this can be ensured by taking drugs or following other treatments as prescribed by doctors.

Also, making recommended lifestyle changes is important. From studies and research, a number of lifestyle changes and alternative treatment programmes to help manage pulmonary hypertension include having a heart-healthy diet. For instance, reducing salt in your diet has been proven to help reduce regular blood pressure and improve your overall heart function by reducing fluid in your body, potentially leading to some improvement of symptoms.

Also, get a variety of nutrients from fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and lean protein as this can improve your heart health.

In addition to this, it’s also recommended to engage in physical activity by getting enough exercise, as suggested by your healthcare team, which can improve your heart function.

Studies also says that quitting smoking is essential, as well as getting involved in pulmonary rehabilitation programmes. 

This type of exercise and education programme has been established to help one stay physically active while experiencing less shortness of breath. It may be recommended if you have trouble with daily activities.

When it comes to prevention, experts say it lies in routine screening tests for pulmonary hypertension, especially for people with known risk factors, such as a family history of the condition, or certain forms of lung or heart disease.