Definition and classification of pulmonary hypertension.

Abstract

Pulmonary hypertension is defined as an increase of mean pulmonary arterial pressure ≥25 mmHg at rest as assessed by right heart catheterization. According to different combinations of values of pulmonary wedge pressure, pulmonary vascular resistance and cardiac output, a hemodynamic classification of pulmonary hypertension has been proposed. Of major importance is the pulmonary wedge pressure which allows to distinguish pre-capillary (pulmonary wedge pressure ≤15 mmHg) and post-capillary (pulmonary wedge pressure >15 mmHg) pulmonary hypertension. Pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension includes the clinical groups 1 (pulmonary arterial hypertension), 3 (pulmonary hypertension due to lung diseases and/or hypoxia), 4 (chronic thrombo-embolic pulmonary hypertension) and 5 (pulmonary hypertension with unclear and/or multifactorial mechanisms). Post-capillary pulmonary hypertension corresponds to the clinical group 2 (pulmonary hypertension due to left heart diseases).

• Authors: Marc Humbert, David Montani, Oleg V Evgenov, Gérald Simonneau
• Journal: Handbook of experimental pharmacology (Handb Exp Pharmacol) Vol. 218 Pg. 3-29 ( 2013) ISSN: 0171-2004 [Print] Germany
• PMID: 24092334 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)

Topics

• Animals
• Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension
• Humans
• Hypertension, Pulmonary (classification, etiology, physiopathology)