Pulmonary Hypertension

Cardiac catheterization

08/07/2008 01:37PM

Question:

I had an echo done and it showed that the pressures where a bit higher in the pulmonary artiiry. I had the echo repeated a year later. That was on July 23, 2008. I have not go the results of that one yet. I am waiting to see a lung speciaiist at the end of August. I have to get a chest x-ray every year for a medication that I am on and it is always been clear. I have no symptoms at all and right now on no treatments. When should an Cardiac catheterization be done? Can we wait until I have some type of symptom or should we do it soon and if I true have PH to start treatment even with no symptoms?

Answer:

It sounds like you do not have any symptoms at this time. Whether you need a cardiac catheterization will depend on how high the pressures are on the echo and whether the echo shows evidence of strain on your right heart.

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Response by:

Namita Sood, MD, FCCP
Assistant Professor
Director, Pulmonary Hypertension Program
Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
Department of Internal Medicine
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University