Pulmonary Hypertension ECG Medical Study
Electrocardiogram Pulmonary Embolism Scan For Hypertension Severity
Sep 30, 2009
“Early recognition [pulmonary hypertension]...may prompt more aggressive treatment before hemodynamic [blood movement] instability ensures...” states an article titled, “12-Lead ECG Findings of Pulmonary Hypertension Occur More Frequently in Emergency Department Patients With Pulmonary Embolism Than in Patients Without Pulmonary Embolism.”
The purpose of the study, by the Department of Emergency Medicine, Carolinas Medical Center, Charlotte, NC was to determine if pulmonary embolism (obstruction in blood vessel from right side of heart to lung) produces abnormal readings on an electrocardiogram (ECG) “...that reflects severity of pulmonary hypertension.” The study article, dated September 18, 2009, is published on the PubMed web site. The authors are:
- Marchick MR.
- Courtney DM.
- Kabrhel C.
- Nordenholz KE.
- Plewa MC.
- Richman PB.
- Smithline HA.
- Kline JA.
Detection of Symptoms of Pulmonary Hypertension
The Department of Emergency Medicine stated that the pulmonary hypertension study included 6,049 emergency room patients with pulmonary embolism. The ECGs were given and “interpreted at presentation.” Patients treated for previous cardiopulmonary disease were not included in the study.
The study findings were that pulmonary hypertension was found more often in patients with the “...final diagnosis of pulmonary embolism...compared with patients who do not have pulmonary embolism."
Pulmonary Hypertension Warning Signs
Pulmonary hypertension is a lung disorder caused by increased pressure in the artery leading from the right side of the heart to the lung, according to the Farlex Medical Dictionary on-line. The symptoms of pulmonary hypertension, according to Farlex, are:
- Shortness of breath while breathing normally.
- Chronic fatigue.
- Dizziness plus fainting.
- Swelling around ankles.
- Lips and skin bluish in color.
- Chest pain.
A routine physical normally will not detect pulmonary hypertension unless it is in its advanced stages, according to Farlex. Some common detection methods include ECG, pulmonary tests, lung scans, and right heart cardiac catheterization (passing a catheter through a vein from heart to secure a specimen).
Heart Failure From Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
The causes of primary pulmonary hypertension are unknown and most often occur in young women, according to Farlex. Some possible causes of blood blood vessel narrowing are “diet suppressants, cocaine, and pregnancy.”
Secondary pulmonary hypertension is when blood pressure increases in the lung blood vessels due to other medical conditions. The Farlex pulmonary hypertension page states that when the right side of the heart is overly stressed from uncontrolled hypertension the result could be heart failure. Secondary pulmonary hypertension is associated with the following medical conditions:
- Emphysema.
- Chronic Bronchitis.
- The body’s immune system turns against itself (scleroderma).
- Congenital heart disease.
- Pulmonary Fibrosis
- Blood Vessel Obstruction in Lungs (pulmonary thromboembolism).
Due to the fact that most routine exams do not detect pulmonary hypertension, the ECG emergency room study by the Department of Emergency Medicine stresses the need for early detection. Farlex advises that people should pay attention to the pulmonary hypertension warning signs, and when experiencing one or more symptoms seek medical advice and testing.
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