Primary pulmonary hypertension is a condition where high blood pressure occurs in the pulmonary arteries of a patient’s lungs. Albeit a rare disorder, it can prove to be fatal in many cases. In this condition, the lungs’ blood vessels become narrow, resulting in the blood pressure rising far above the normal levels in the pulmonary arteries and the right side of the heart.
This disease can lead to a variety of dangerous complications because the pulmonary arteries are responsible for carrying blood to the lungs. As the condition leads to the impairment of this process, it can result in heart failure if not treated on time. To understand it better, let’s look into the causes responsible for pulmonary hypertension.
Causes for pulmonary hypertension
In most cases, diseases and disorders cannot always be traced to one single cause, but have multiple causes and risk factors responsible for them. Similarly, there can be many causes for pulmonary hypertension, and the condition is classified into different groups depending on this. Given below are some of the causes of this condition.
- Diseases affecting the flow of blood in the heart
There are certain diseases that can affect the regular movement of the blood from the heart to the other parts of the body. This may result in the blood flowing back to the heart. This backflow raises pulmonary venous pressure and may lead to pulmonary hypertension. - Hypoxic pulmonary vasoconstriction
In this process, the lung vessels become narrow. This happens so that the blood diverts from the segments of the lungs that function poorly to healthy functioning areas. But, when the blood does not get sufficient levels of oxygen, it results in the constriction of blood vessels in the pulmonary arterial section, and the pressure here rises. - Remodeling of blood vessels in diseases
In some diseases, the inner lining of the vessel becomes narrow. This happens due to the unsuitable growth of the tissue present inside as well as around the vessel. Masses, as well as, scarring from these diseases can compress, and also narrow down the vessels. This, in turn, can cause increased resistance to the blood flow. Overall, this problem can elevate pressure, hence resulting in pulmonary hypertension.
- A parasitic infection called schistosomiasis
When this particular infection occurs, the blood vessels in the lungs get blocked due to the presence of parasites. This infection is one of the main risk factors for pulmonary hypertension.
- Substances causing constriction of blood vessels
There are certain substances found in other medications that may cause pulmonary hypertension. For example, dexfenfluramine is known to increase the risk of this disease.
All of the aforementioned reasons can be categorized as common causes or risk factors for pulmonary hypertension. It is strongly recommended that one goes for regular check-ups so that this issue can be diagnosed in the initial stage itself. This can help the problem from worsening and the treatment can be started keeping the severity of the condition in mind.
