[Primary pulmonary hypertension and the difficulties of clinical diagnosis]

An analysis of 38 patients is presented of whom 23 had primary pulmonary hypertension proper, 6--congenital heart diseases, and in 6 pulmonary hypertension was combined with chronic recurrent thrombophlebitis and thromboembolic episodes in the pulmonary artery system, and in 3--with sclerodermia. The greatest difficulties arise when primary pulmonary hypertension has to be clinically differentiated from some congenital heart diseases (septal defects and patent Botalli duct). The discreapances of clinical and anatomic diagnoses of primary pulmonary hypertension happen most often in cases of the above mentioned congenital heart diseases. Catheterization of the cardiac cavities is an important tool in the diagnosis of primary pulmonary hypertension that permits to differentiate it from congenital heart diseases.