Pulmonary Hypertension: Overview

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is increased pressure in the pulmonary arteries, which carry blood from your heart to your lungs to pick up oxygen. This increased pressure can be due to the arteries tightening, the walls of the arteries becoming stiff, or blood clots forming in the arteries. These changes make it hard for the heart to push blood through the arteries and into the lungs. Thus, the pressure in the arteries rises. Also, as a result of the heart working harder, the right ventricle of the heart becomes strained and weak.

The heart may become so weak that it can't pump enough blood to the lungs. This causes congestive heart failure.

Usually, other diseases or conditions, particularly heart and lung diseases, cause PH. Some people inherit the condition. In some cases, the cause isn't known.

This information has been adapted from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute.