Heart pumps oxygenated blood to our whole body to let it function properly. Then, what if one of the part of your heart is getting trouble? What if the part that’s being affected is the one that linked to both your lungs and hearts?
This article will give you the definition of pulmonary hypertension, what are the causes, the symptoms, as well as the medications that you can use to treat it well.
What is Pulmonary Hypertension?
Talking about hypertension, maybe most of us find it quite familiar. Hypertension is a conditions when our blood pressure level is high. But what about pulmonary hypertension? Pulmonary itself stands for our lungs, thus, pulmonary hypertension is a condition where our pulmonary arterioles, the one that connects our heart to our lungs, is currently on a high blood pressure. Here, the arteries that’s being damaged it the one that is in charge of delivering oxygenated blood to the heart and bringing blood back to the lungs.
That pulmonary arteriole is being narrowed or blocked, so that the pressure is increasing. If the pressure is high, the right ventricle will have to work harder than how it’s supposed to be just to pump the blood. When such conditions going through for long time, it will eventually harm and weaken heart muscle.
Types
Although pulmonary hypertension itself is one of the type of hypertension, doesn’t mean it doesn’t have any other types. In fact, pulmonary hypertension can be triggered of a lot of things, and those different things differs these types from one and another. Here are five types of pulmonary hypertension and its causes :
Group 1
This group of pulmonary arterial hypertension consist of pulmonary with unknown cause and other causes, such as :
- Inherited
- Drugs ( methamphetamines, etc)
- Congenital heart disease
- Chronic liver disease (cirrhosis)
- HIV infection
- Sickle cell disease
Group 2
Pulmonary hypertension by left-heart disease causes are :
- Failure of heart’s left ventricle
- Mitral valve diseases
- Long-term hypertension (high blood pressure level)
Read also : 7 Causes of High Blood Pressure at Young Age
Group 3
Pulmonary hypertension related to lung happens because some of these reasons :
- Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease
- Sleep apnea
- Interstitial lung disease
- Pulmonary fibrosis
Group 4
Blood clots related pulmonary hypertension, as it is called, mainly caused by the formation of blood clots in the lungs or pulmonary emboli.
Group 5
- Polycythemia vera
- Blood disorders
- Sarcoidosis (systemic disorders)
- Metabolic disorders ( thyroid, glycogen storage disease)
- Kidney disease
- Tumors pressing pulmonary arteries
Symptoms
In order to avoid complications, we need to be keen in detecting any kind of disease. For example, we might look out for these Early Symptoms of Heart Disease Need to be Recognized. So does for pulmonary hypertension. Here are few symptoms that you should pay more attention at :
- Shortness of breath
- Fatigue
- Pain in the chest
- Abnormal heartbeat ( racing)
You might also read : Causes of Heart Rhythm Disorder
- Edema
- Cyanosis
- Dizziness
- Fainting
List of Medications for Pulmonary Hypertension
In treating any kind of disease, we need to be cautious, we need to know what we’re taking as medications or treatment beforehand. This doesn’t mean that we don’t need doctor’s advice, of course.
We still need to consult to our doctor to make sure we’re taking the right medication with the right amount, so that we can get maximum benefits of the medications instead of getting the bad side effects that could worsen our condition. This is because we all are in different ages and conditions.
So, here are few list of medications that has been used to treat pulmonary hypertension :
- Sildenafil
This medication works by relaxing the heart muscle, especially in the blood vessels’ walls. Beside, sildenafil also increases blood flow so that it goes all the way to our body smoothly.
For sildenafil intake to treat pulmonary hypertension, it is best consumed by swallowing without munching it first. You can consume this medication before or after eating, but try your best to consume it at the same time.
Precautions :
You shouldn’t take this medications if :
- You’re children under 18 years old
- If you also take riociguat
- Consuming nitrate in the same time
- If you have vision loss after consuming
- Allergic reactions
2. Letairis
Letairis is being used to prevents the lungs and heart blood vessels’ thickening, then lowering the blood pressure to let blood to flow efficiently.
For this medication intake, it is usually consumed one for each day. Whether with or without food, it is alright to take letairis, but try to take it in a consistent time daily.
Precautions :
Letairis is not for people with these health conditions :
- Anemia
- Liver disease
- Pregnant woman
- Allergic to ambrisentan
- Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
3. Adcirca
Adcirca will works a bit similar to sildenafil, it relaxes the heart muscle to furthermore increase the blood flow.
Just like letairis, it is being taken once for each day. Take it just as how it’s prescribed, do not take in a smaller or larger doses as it might harm your health.
Precautions :
This medications is not for people with :
- Tadalafil allergic
- Not for taken with Cialis
- Not for taken with riociguat
- Avoid consuming along with nitrate drug
4. Tracleer
This medications will lower the blood pressure, thus helping your heart to pump blood smoothly and efficiently.
If most drugs are taken by swallowing, you shouldn’t do that in this case. You need to let the tablet disperse in the liquid before drinking it twice a day. But the dosage might changes as the time passes by, ask your doctor to know the right dosage that you need.
Precautions :
- Allergic
- Pregnant woman
- Not to be taken along with cyclosporine
- Avoid taking this with glyburide
5. Tyvaso
This medication works by dilating the heart arteries as well as decreasing the amount of blood clots in your body. Tyvaso will also lower the blood pressure.
Tyvaso isn’t being taken by swallowing or drinking, but by inhalation system. Usually, it is being inhaled for 4 times a day. Make sure you have washed your hands beforehand to guarantee the hygiene.
Precautions :
Avoid using tyvaso if you are:
- Asthma
- Lungs infections
- Low blood pressure
- Liver disease
- Blood clotting disorders
- Allergic to treprostinil
6. Epoprostenol
Epoprostenol is actually a hormone that is being produced naturally in your body called as prostaglandin. This will help controlling your blood pressure and heart muscle. For people with pulmonary arterial hypertension, this medications intake will improve exercise ability.
The way of taking this medications is through IV catheter injection. So, it will be given to you in a hospital if it’s your first time. To take this medications, you need to use it for a long time. You might be allowed to inject it yourself at home once you have fully understand how to do it safely. For safety, you should tell your doctor beforehand if you’re planning to stop using to avoid side effects such as dizziness and trouble breathing.
Precautions :
Not for people who has :
- Epoprostenol allergic
- Congestive heart filure
- Kidney disease
- Liver disease
7. Orenitram
Orenitram will dilate the arteries as well as decrease the amount of blood clots formation. This medication will also lower the blood pressude, so it’s good to treat people with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
To take this medication safely, you need to follow what your doctor prescribed for you. You’re not supposed to break the tablet in any way, be it chewing or crushing. Taking orenitram requires food.
Precautions :
You shouldn’t take this medications if you have :
- Treprostinil allergic
- Liver disease
- Intestinal disorder
8. Iloprost
Iloprost is actually the synthetic form of prostacyclin. This medication works by opening blood vessels in the lungs.
Iloprost is being taken for 6 to 9 times each day with intervals of not less than 2 hours by inhalation. The inhalation system used is the I-ned ADD or Prodose AAD System.
Precautions :
You might not supposed to take iloprost if you have :
- Liver disease
- Kidney disease
- Low blood pressure
- Asthma
- Chest cold
Other Medications (9-17)
- Veletri : This prostaglandin medications works by controlling blood pressure and heart muscle contraction.
- Riociguat : Riociguat works to help your blood to flow smoothly by lowering the pressure.
- Bosentan : This medications is being used to lower blood pressure for patients who are at least 3 years old and above.
You might want to read : Symptoms of Heart Disease in Infants After Birth
- Flolan : This is another type of prostaglandin medications that control your bloos pressure.
- Tadalafil : Tadalafil will relax your heart muscle to let the blood flow smoothly throughout the body.
- Opsumit : It works by lowering blood pressure especially in the lungs area.
- Ventavis : Ventavis is another form of synthetic prostacyclin that works by opening lungs’ blood vessels.
- Remodulin : This will dilate arteries and decrease the formation of blood clots.
- Uptravi : For people with pulmonary arterial hypertension, uptravi will prevent the need for being hospitalized. It works to lowers blood pressure by dilating the arteries.
Treating disease with medications is something most of us got to deal with. At times, we might be trying to find safe and effective natural home remedies to treat our disease. But we can’t say that we don’t need medications prescribed by our doctor, especially if we’re going through any groups of pulmonary hypertensions. Consult with your doctor and follow what’s being prescribed for us to get the best effects.