Pulmonary hypertension - a guide for cardiologists

This podcast explores the classification, diagnosis, and treatment of pulmonary hypertension. Professor Nick Morrell explains the five main groups of pulmonary hypertension, emphasizing the importance of distinguishing between them due to differing treatment approaches. A key focus is on chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEF), highlighting that a significant percentage of patients don't have a documented history of pulmonary embolism. Surgical intervention via pulmonary endarterectomy is presented as a potentially curative option for CTEF, while newer drug therapies like Reaciguat offer hope for inoperable cases. The discussion shifts to Group 1 pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), detailing the roles of prostacyclin, endothelin, and nitric oxide pathways in its pathophysiology and the genetic factors influencing disease severity and treatment response, particularly mutations in the BMPR2 gene.