Abstract
The clinical characteristics, follow-up and prognosis of unexplained pulmonary hypertension (UPHT) in 8 older patients, age at diagnosis 62.5 ± 11.6 years (Mean ± 1 SD, range 51 to 82), were evaluated. Seven of the patients were women. Systolic pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) at diagnosis was 87 ± 10 mm Hg (Mean ± 1 SD, range 70 to 100). A majority of the patients (7/8) had advanced disease at diagnosis (New York Heart Association classes 3 and 4) with right heart failure (RHF) as the presenting symptom in 6 of the 8 patients (75%). Following treatment with calcium channel blockers, diuretics, oxygen and anticoagulants, functional capacity and symptoms of RHF, but not PAP, improved in 4 patients (50%). These patients are alive 37 ± 11 months (Mean ± 1 SD, range 23 to 53) after diagnosis. Four patients died after a mean follow-up of 6.8 ± 7.6 months (Mean ± 1 SD, range 2 to 18). One of these patients died suddenly and another 3 died with intractable RHF. Our study shows that most newly diagnosed older patients with UPHT in our institute were women. RHF at diagnosis, a sign that indicates a poor prognosis in younger patients with UPHT, is common in older patients with UPHT and was not associated with a particularly poor prognosis. Clinical response to medical treatment, rather than PAP changes, was associated with improved outcome.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 9-15 |
| Number of pages | 7 |
| Journal | Journal of Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Procedures |
| Volume | 14 |
| Issue number | 1 |
| State | Published - 1997 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine
- Medicine (miscellaneous)
Cite this
Unexplained pulmonary hypertension in older patients : Clinical characteristics, follow-up, and prognosis. / Yigla, M.; Azzam, Z.; Rinkevich, Diana; Rubin, A. H E; Reisner, S. A.
In: Journal of Cardiovascular Diagnosis and Procedures, Vol. 14, No. 1, 1997, p. 9-15.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Unexplained pulmonary hypertension in older patients
T2 - Clinical characteristics, follow-up, and prognosis
AU - Yigla, M.
AU - Azzam, Z.
AU - Rinkevich, Diana
AU - Rubin, A. H E
AU - Reisner, S. A.
PY - 1997
Y1 - 1997
N2 - The clinical characteristics, follow-up and prognosis of unexplained pulmonary hypertension (UPHT) in 8 older patients, age at diagnosis 62.5 ± 11.6 years (Mean ± 1 SD, range 51 to 82), were evaluated. Seven of the patients were women. Systolic pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) at diagnosis was 87 ± 10 mm Hg (Mean ± 1 SD, range 70 to 100). A majority of the patients (7/8) had advanced disease at diagnosis (New York Heart Association classes 3 and 4) with right heart failure (RHF) as the presenting symptom in 6 of the 8 patients (75%). Following treatment with calcium channel blockers, diuretics, oxygen and anticoagulants, functional capacity and symptoms of RHF, but not PAP, improved in 4 patients (50%). These patients are alive 37 ± 11 months (Mean ± 1 SD, range 23 to 53) after diagnosis. Four patients died after a mean follow-up of 6.8 ± 7.6 months (Mean ± 1 SD, range 2 to 18). One of these patients died suddenly and another 3 died with intractable RHF. Our study shows that most newly diagnosed older patients with UPHT in our institute were women. RHF at diagnosis, a sign that indicates a poor prognosis in younger patients with UPHT, is common in older patients with UPHT and was not associated with a particularly poor prognosis. Clinical response to medical treatment, rather than PAP changes, was associated with improved outcome.
AB - The clinical characteristics, follow-up and prognosis of unexplained pulmonary hypertension (UPHT) in 8 older patients, age at diagnosis 62.5 ± 11.6 years (Mean ± 1 SD, range 51 to 82), were evaluated. Seven of the patients were women. Systolic pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) at diagnosis was 87 ± 10 mm Hg (Mean ± 1 SD, range 70 to 100). A majority of the patients (7/8) had advanced disease at diagnosis (New York Heart Association classes 3 and 4) with right heart failure (RHF) as the presenting symptom in 6 of the 8 patients (75%). Following treatment with calcium channel blockers, diuretics, oxygen and anticoagulants, functional capacity and symptoms of RHF, but not PAP, improved in 4 patients (50%). These patients are alive 37 ± 11 months (Mean ± 1 SD, range 23 to 53) after diagnosis. Four patients died after a mean follow-up of 6.8 ± 7.6 months (Mean ± 1 SD, range 2 to 18). One of these patients died suddenly and another 3 died with intractable RHF. Our study shows that most newly diagnosed older patients with UPHT in our institute were women. RHF at diagnosis, a sign that indicates a poor prognosis in younger patients with UPHT, is common in older patients with UPHT and was not associated with a particularly poor prognosis. Clinical response to medical treatment, rather than PAP changes, was associated with improved outcome.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=0030887966&partnerID=8YFLogxK
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0030887966
VL - 14
SP - 9
EP - 15
JO - Journal of Cardiovascular Ultrasonography
JF - Journal of Cardiovascular Ultrasonography
SN - 0730-8396
IS - 1
ER -