Pulmonary = Lungs Hypertension = High Blood Pressure
Called PH for short, these two words put together mean high blood pressure in the lungs. This very serious medical condition affects both children and adults. Pulmonary Hypertension can be something that you are born with or can be caused by certain medications, though sometimes the cause can be completely unknown. An interesting fact about PH is that women are more likely to be diagnosed than men.
A normal lung vessel is wide so blood can flow freely, but when you have PH the vessels are narrow. This makes it difficult for blood to flow through the lungs. The narrowing is caused by increased muscle. Due to the narrowing of the vessels, the heart works harder and over time, and eventually the right side of the heart grows larger and can lead to right heart failure, also known as cor pulmonale.
Signs/Symptoms of Pulmonary Hypertension include:
· Shortness of Breath
· Dizziness
· Tiredness
· Chest Pains
· Fatigue
· Swelling in ankles, legs, and feet
Oxygen Therapy is used to treat Pulmonary Hypertension
Pulmonary Hypertension is a very serious medical condition that requires the patient to be on many medications, continuous testing and have a large medical team monitoring them closely.
Oxygen therapy can be an important addition to treat PH. As well as increasing the amount of oxygen in the blood, oxygen has the additional benefit that it is a vasodilator. This means that it helps to relax the arteries in the lungs, which can reduce the pressure in the pulmonary artery. Portable oxygen bottles come in various sizes, this makes it easy for patients to travel and go to appointments.
Apple HMS provides oxygen to accommodate various needs of our patients. Give us a call at 1-866-332-7753 and speak to a customer service representative about oxygen or any medical equipment you may need.
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