Pulmonary hypertension is a condition that affects the blood vessels in the lungs, causing high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs. This condition makes the right side of the heart work harder than normal. Pulmonary hypertension is classified into five groups, depending on the cause:

• Group 1: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)
• Group 2: Pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease
• Group 3: Pulmonary hypertension due to lung disease or hypoxia
• Group 4: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH)
• Group 5: Pulmonary hypertension due to unclear or multifactorial mechanisms

In one form of pulmonary hypertension, called pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), blood vessels in the lungs are narrowed, blocked, or destroyed, which slows blood flow through the lungs. The damage to the cells that line the lung arteries can cause the artery walls to become narrow, stiff, swollen, and thick, which may slow down or stop blood flow through the lungs, causing pulmonary hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension can be inherited or acquired as a result of other medical conditions such as heart disease, lung disease, or connective tissue disease. Some common underlying causes of pulmonary hypertension include high blood pressure in the lungs’ arteries due to some types of congenital heart disease, connective tissue disease, coronary artery disease, high blood pressure, liver disease (cirrhosis), blood clots to the lungs, and chronic lung diseases like emphysema. The symptoms of pulmonary hypertension during the initial stage of the disease are common to many other medical conditions, such as difficulty breathing and fatigue. This often results in a delayed diagnosis until more severe symptoms arise, such as dizziness, chest pain, ankle swelling, or feeling the. In most cases, pulmonary hypertension cannot be cured, but with proper treatment, symptoms can be improved, and the disease’s progression can be slowed.