Pulmonary Hypertension

What is normal range on Echo?

08/29/2008 02:23PM

Question:

I have had two echos done a year apart and both showed a pulmonary arterior pressure of 37 and an inlarged heart. I am shceduled for pulmonary function tests and a chest CT. My lung specialist told me that because it is just bearly high that no treatment is needed but they will continue with yearly tests to keep an eye on it. On an echo what is the normal range the the pressure?

Answer:

Echocardiography provides an estimation of the pulmonary artery pressure. However, this test provides additional useful information and one must consider the entire result from the echocardiogram. That being said, an estimated peak pressure on echocardiogram of less than 40 mm Hg would be less concerning than a higher pressure. However, a diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension is rendered only after a cardiac catheterization, and the results of the heart catheterization can sometimes vary substantially from the results of an echocardiogram.
I encourage you to continue to have this situation evaluated.

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Response by:

Douglas W. Haden, MD
Assistant Professor
Pulmonary, Allergy, Critical Care & Sleep Medicine
Department of Internal Medicine
College of Medicine
The Ohio State University