Pulmonary Hypertension

Treatment

Treatment depends on the type and severity of pulmonary hypertension.

Group 1 (pulmonary arterial hypertension)

Treatment focuses on lowering your pulmonary blood pressure and easing your symptoms. The options include:

• Medication. Several types of medication can help relieve pressure in the pulmonary arteries and reduce the heart's excess work. Medications may be taken orally, inhaled, or infused into a vein (intravenously) or under the skin (subcutaneously). Your Mayo doctor will work with you to find the best treatment for you. Your dosage will be monitored and your therapy fine-tuned over time. You may also have access to clinical trials of new medications.
• Oxygen. Higher concentrations of oxygen in the air you breathe can lead to lower pulmonary blood pressure.
• Transplant surgery. A heart-lung or lung transplant may be an option if medication and oxygen don't ease your symptoms. Mayo Clinic specialists have extensive experience in transplant surgery.
• Atrial septostomy. This heart procedure can relieve the pressure on the right side of your heart and improve heart function.

Groups 2, 3 and 5 (associated pulmonary arterial hypertension)

Treating the underlying condition may decrease the severity of your pulmonary hypertension. At Mayo Clinic, specialists work together on all your medical problems. If treatment for the underlying disease isn't possible, Mayo specialists may treat the pulmonary hypertension directly with the therapies used for pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy

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Group 4 (chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension)

Mayo Clinic surgeons are experienced in performing an uncommon surgery (pulmonary thromboendarterectomy) to treat pulmonary hypertension caused by blood clots. With this open-heart procedure, cardiac surgeons remove fibrous blood clots from the pulmonary arteries, restoring blood flow and lowering pulmonary blood pressure. The results can be dramatic, with a return to near-normal pulmonary artery pressures and reversal of right-sided heart failure. Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy may be recommended for people with severe symptoms. Mayo surgeons discuss the risks and benefits with patients when surgery is the most appropriate approach.

Follow-up care

At Mayo Clinic, treatment teams provide long-term care and support for people with pulmonary hypertension. Doctors are available to answer your questions by telephone. Close follow-up care helps specialists detect early changes that may need further treatment.

Read more about pulmonary hypertension treatment.