Pulmonary Hypertension Too Often Overlooked

An organization that raises awareness and supports research into pulmonary hypertension has launched a campaign to encourage doctors to diagnose the condition quickly enough that patients can get timely treatment.

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association’s campaign is aimed at educating medical professionals about the condition, which is high blood pressure that occurs in the lungs. Symptoms include breathlessness, dizziness, chest pain, fainting, and a dry cough. Patients’ limbs begin to swell, and they may also suffer from loss of energy. Over time, the vessels between the heart and the lungs become narrower and stiffer, ultimately resulting in heart failure.

Many of the symptoms of pulmonary hypertension are also found in a number of other medical conditions, which explains why the condition is often misdiagnosed.

In the past, misdiagnosis of pulmonary hypertension did not affect patient fatality rates, because there were no available treatments for this condition. However, now there are at least nine different treatments that can help a person suffering from pulmonary hypertension live a longer life. But the longer a correct diagnosis is delayed, the lower a patient’s chances of surviving the condition.

Medical professionals now have enough information about the symptoms of pulmonary hypertension to differentiate the condition from others with similar symptoms, such as asthma. Unfortunately, even with this extra information, misdiagnosis of pulmonary hypertension is extremely widespread in American hospitals. In fact, in many cases, the misdiagnosis continues for years, even as the patient’s condition progressively worsens.

The medical malpractice lawyers at Morrow Kidman Tinker Macey-Cushman, PLLC represent victims of medical negligence by doctors, nurses, technicians and other medical personnel in Seattle and across Washington.

Source:

• http://www.phassociation.org/SometimesItsPH