Few Facts to Know about Pulmonary Venous Hypertension
Pulmonary venous hypertension, a specific form of pulmonary hypertension, is typically occurred as a result of left heart dysfunction. The complication like pulmonary venous hypertension is typically associated with paroxysmal nocturnal dyspnea or orthopnea, however, not a common occurrence in the case of pulmonary arterial hypertension. In this article, we will explore few interesting facts about pulmonary venous hypertension.
Relation with Pulmonary Hypertension
As explained by WHO group II classification, the most common triggering factor for developing pulmonary hypertension is pulmonary venous hypertension. It is mainly because of the fact that pulmonary venous hypertension is integrally associated with diastolic or systolic breakdown occurring at the left ventricle. In addition, it may also occur as a result of valvular malfunction like mitral stenosis, aortic regurgitation, mitral regurgitation or aortic stenosis.
Common Manifestations
The most common clinical manifestations of pulmonary venous hypertension are pleural effusions and pulmonary edema. Since the damaged heart is unable to execute its pumping function in an effective manner, it leads a marked disruption in the pulmonary circulation process, which eventually leads to develop unusually high pressure in the pulmonary veins. Since the pressure in the pulmonary veins rises, it bounces back to the pulmonary arteries.
Pathogenesis
As described in WHO group II classification, pathogenesis of pulmonary venous hypertension differs significantly from pulmonary arterial hypertension. The blood circulation to the lungs never gets disrupted. Rather, pumping blood by the left heart affected in an adverse fashion, which leads to an unusual accumulation of blood flow in the lung. This puts the affected individual at a higher risk for developing pleural effusions and pulmonary edema.
Epidemiology
While idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension occurs as a rare disease among the entire population, pulmonary venous hypertension is excessively and increasingly common. It has a strong correlation with congestive heart failure, and many studies have described pulmonary venous hypertension as one of the major contributing factors for the development of congestive heart failure. As estimated in different medical journals, over 50-55 million Americans are suffering from pulmonary hypertension.
Possible Treatments
Since there is a strong correlation between pulmonary venous hypertension and congestive heart failure, the goal of the treatment is to enhance the function of the left ventricles by using beta blockers, diuretics, ACE inhibitors, etc. In addition, measures can be taken by repairing or replacing the aortic valve or mitral valve. A wide number of useful measures have been recently introduced for successfully treating the condition of pulmonary venous hypertension.
