Pulmonary Hypertension, A Simple Guide to the Condition, Treatment and Related Diseases

By Kenneth Kee

Pulmonary hypertension refers to abnormally high pressure
In the pulmonary arteries resulting in right heart failure
Unless treated pulmonary hypertension can be a life-threatening illness.
The fluid in the lung cavity prevents the air to fill the lungs to fullness

Symptoms are often the first clue to pulmonary hypertension
Shortness of breath may be due to the pulmonary congestion
Chest pain and ankle edema indicate evidence of heart failure
Chest x-ray may show enlarged heart and abnormal lung vessels pressure

Pulmonary function tests may be done to look for other lung conditions.
An ECG may be done to record the electrical activity and heart function
Treatment is to lower the pressure in the lung vessels with medications
Prostacyclin dilates the blood vessels in the lungs and improves the function

Calcium channel blockers can greatly improve the breathing.
Removal of ankle edema is with diuretic passing of urine
Digoxin can be used to make the heart pump more efficiently
Surgical removal of blood clots can cure the pulmonary hypertension effectively

-An original poem by Kenneth Kee

Interesting Tips about the Pulmonary Hypertension

A Healthy Lifestyle

1. Take a well Balanced Diet

2. Pulmonary hypertension can be treated with medications to lower the pressure in the lung vessels and to make the heart work more efficiently.

Medications:
a. Prostacyclin dilates the blood vessels in the lungs.
b. Calcium channel blockers (such as nifedipine) can greatly improve the symptoms and survival of perhaps 20% of patients (those who respond well to vasodilators).
c. Bosentan blocks one of the proteins (endothelin) that constricts blood vessels in pulmonary hypertension.
d. Anticoagulants “thin” the blood to prevent clot formation in the blood vessels.
e. Digoxin can be used to make the heart pump more efficiently.
f. Diuretics can help the kidney eliminate extra fluid.

Oxygen Therapy:
Supplemental oxygen can help some patients feel better.

Surgical Therapy:
a. A thromboendarterectomy can remove big clots in the lungs of select patients with a form of the disease caused by clots in the large vessels of the lungs (chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension).
Thromboendarterectomy effectively cures such patients of pulmonary hypertension.
b. Transplantation of lung or of a heart and lung.

3. Keep bones and body strong

Bone marrow produces our blood

Eat foods rich in calcium like yogurt, cheese, milk, and dark green vegetables.

Eat foods rich in Vitamin D, like eggs, fatty fish, cereal, and fortified milk.

Eat food rich in Vitamins B and C such as green vegetables and fruits

Zinc and other minerals are important to the body

4. Get enough rest and Sleep

Avoid stress and tension

5. Exercise and stay active.

It is best to do weight-bearing exercise such as walking, jogging, stair climbing, dancing, or lifting weights for 21⁄2 hours a week.

One way to do this is to be active 30 minutes a day at least 5 days a week.

Begin slowly especially if a person has not been active.

6. Do not drink more than 2 alcohol drinks a day for a man or 1 alcohol drink a day for a woman.

Alcohol use also increases the chance of falling and breaking a bone.

Alcohol can affect the neurons and brain cells.

7. Stop or do not begin smoking.

It also interferes with blood supply and healing.

Chapter 1

Pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension refers to abnormally high pressure in the pulmonary arteries.

In fact it could be called the high blood pressure of the lungs.

In normal lungs, the pressure in the blood vessels is about one-quarter of the pressure in the arteries of the body and can temporarily adapt to increased pressures that occur during exercise.

In pulmonary hyperten

• Language: English
• Publisher: Kenneth Kee
• Release date: Dec 11, 2014
• ISBN: 9781310569036

Kenneth Kee

Medical doctor since 1972.Started Kee Clinic in 1974 at 15 Holland Dr #03-102, relocated to 36 Holland Dr #01-10 in 2009.Did my M.Sc (Health Management ) in 1991 and Ph.D (Healthcare Administration) in 1993.Dr Kenneth Kee is still working as a family doctor at the age of 74However he has reduced his consultation hours to 3 hours in the morning and 2 hours inthe afternoon.He first started writing free blogs on medical disorders seen in the clinic in 2007 on http://kennethkee.blogspot.com.His purpose in writing these simple guides was for the health education of his patients which is also his dissertation for his Ph.D (Healthcare Administration). He then wrote an autobiography account of his journey as a medical student to family doctor on his other blog http://afamilydoctorstale.blogspot.comThis autobiography account “A Family Doctor’s Tale” was combined with his early “A Simple Guide to Medical Disorders” into a new Wordpress Blog “A Family Doctor’s Tale” on http://ken-med.com.From which many free articles from the blog was taken and put together into 1000 eBooks.He apologized for typos and spelling mistakes in his earlier books.He will endeavor to improve the writing in futures.Some people have complained that the simple guides are too simple.For their information they are made simple in order to educate the patients.The later books go into more details of medical disorders.He has published 1000 eBooks on various subjects on health, 1 autobiography of his medical journey, another on the autobiography of a Cancer survivor, 2 children stories and one how to study for his nephew and grand-daughter.The purpose of these simple guides is to educate patient on health disorders and not meant as textbooks.He does not do any night duty since 2000 ever since Dr Tan had his second stroke.His clinic is now relocated to the Buona Vista Community Centre.The 2 units of his original clinic are being demolished to make way for a new Shopping Mall.He is now doing some blogging and internet surfing (bulletin boards since the 1980's) startingwith the Apple computer and going to PC.The entire PC is upgraded by himself from XT to the present Pentium duo core.The present Intel i7 CPU is out of reach at the moment because the CPU is still expensive.He is also into DIY changing his own toilet cistern and other electric appliance.His hunger for knowledge has not abated and he is a lifelong learner.The children have all grown up and there are 2 grandchildren who are even more technically advanced than the grandfather where mobile phones are concerned.This book is taken from some of the many articles in his blog (now with 740 posts) A Family Doctor’s Tale.Dr Kee is the author of:"A Family Doctor's Tale""Life Lessons Learned From The Study And Practice Of Medicine""Case Notes From A Family Doctor"

Book preview

Pulmonary

Hypertension

A

Simple

Guide

To

Condition,

Treatment

And

Related Diseases

By

Dr Kenneth Kee

M.B.,B.S. (Singapore)

Ph.D (Healthcare Administration)

Copyright Kenneth Kee 2014 Smashwords Edition

Published By Kenneth Kee at Smashwords.com

Dedication

This book is dedicated

To my wife Dorothy

And my children

Carolyn, Grace

And Kelvin

This book describes the disease Pulmonary Hypertension and Its Treatments and Related Diseases or in vernacular terms

(What You Need to treat Pulmonary Hypertension)

This eBook is licensed for the personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each reader.

If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to Smashwords.com and purchase your own copy.

Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

Introduction

Ode to Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension refers to abnormally high pressure

In the pulmonary arteries resulting in right heart failure

Unless treated pulmonary hypertension can be a life-threatening illness.

The fluid in the lung cavity prevents the air to fill the lungs to fullness

Symptoms are often the first clue to pulmonary hypertension

Shortness of breath may be due to the pulmonary congestion

Chest pain and ankle edema indicate evidence of heart failure

Chest x-ray may show enlarged heart and abnormal lung vessels pressure

Pulmonary function tests may be done to look for other lung conditions.

An ECG may be done to record the electrical activity and heart function

Treatment is to lower the pressure in the lung vessels with medications

Prostacyclin dilates the blood vessels in the lungs and improves the function

Calcium channel blockers can greatly improve the breathing.

Removal of ankle edema is with diuretic passing of urine

Digoxin can be used to make the heart pump more efficiently

Surgical removal of blood clots can cure the pulmonary hypertension effectively

-An original poem by Kenneth Kee

Interesting Tips about the Pulmonary Hypertension

A Healthy Lifestyle

1. Take a well Balanced Diet

2. Pulmonary hypertension can be treated with medications to lower the pressure in the lung vessels and to make the heart work more efficiently.

Medications:

a. Prostacyclin dilates the blood vessels in the lungs.

b. Calcium channel blockers (such as nifedipine) can greatly improve the symptoms and survival of perhaps 20% of patients (those who respond well to vasodilators).

c. Bosentan blocks one of the proteins (endothelin) that constricts blood vessels in pulmonary hypertension.

d. Anticoagulants thin the blood to prevent clot formation in the blood vessels.

e. Digoxin can be used to make the heart pump more efficiently.

f. Diuretics can help the kidney eliminate extra fluid.

Oxygen Therapy:

Supplemental oxygen can help some patients feel better.

Surgical Therapy:

a. A thromboendarterectomy can remove big clots in the lungs of select patients with a form of the disease caused by clots in the large vessels of the lungs (chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension).

Thromboendarterectomy effectively cures such patients of pulmonary hypertension.

b. Transplantation of lung or of a heart and lung.

3. Keep bones and body strong

Bone marrow produces our blood

Eat foods rich in calcium like yogurt, cheese, milk, and dark green vegetables.

Eat foods rich in Vitamin D, like eggs, fatty fish, cereal, and fortified milk.

Eat food rich in Vitamins B and C such as green vegetables and fruits

Zinc and other minerals are important to the body

4. Get enough rest and Sleep

Avoid stress and tension

5. Exercise and stay active.

It is best to do weight-bearing exercise such as walking, jogging, stair climbing, dancing, or lifting weights for 2½ hours a week.

One way to do this is to be active 30 minutes a day at least 5 days a week.

Begin slowly especially if a person has not been active.

6. Do not drink more than 2 alcohol drinks a day for a man or 1 alcohol drink a day for a woman.

Alcohol use also increases the chance of falling and breaking a bone.

Alcohol can affect the neurons and brain cells.

7. Stop or do not begin smoking.

It also interferes with blood supply and healing.

Chapter 1

Pulmonary hypertension

What Is Pulmonary Hypertension?

Pulmonary hypertension refers to abnormally high pressure in the pulmonary arteries.

In fact it could be called the high blood pressure of the lungs.

In normal lungs, the pressure in the blood vessels is about one-quarter of the pressure in the arteries of the body and can temporarily adapt to increased pressures that occur during exercise.

In pulmonary hypertension the small arteries in the lungs are too narrow so the pressure rises in these vessels.

As a result the right side of the heart which pumps blood into the lungs has to pump against a higher resistance to blood flow.

This makes it more difficult to pump the blood through the lungs particularly when increased flow is needed