The pulmonary vascular complications of hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia

M E Faughnan1, J T Granton, L H Young

  • 1Keenan Research Centre, St Michael's Hospital, Toronto, ON, Canada. faughnanm@smh.toronto.on.ca

Hereditary haemorrhagic telangiectasia (HHT) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder, characterised by the presence of vascular malformations. The pulmonary vascular complications of HHT include pulmonary arteriovenous malformations, pulmonary hypertension associated with high-output heart failure and liver vascular malformations and, finally, pulmonary arterial hypertension secondary to HHT. In the present review, the authors describe the clinical presentation, diagnosis and management of all three pulmonary vascular presentations of HHT, as well as the underlying genetics and pathophysiology.

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