Pulmonary arterial hypertension and the state of limbo

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a severe health condition in which the mean pulmonary arterial pressure increases to 25 mmHg or more, even when the body is at rest. This high pressure in the blood vessels that transport blood from the heart to the lungs can cause various symptoms, including shortness of breath, can lead to right heart failure, and significantly affect the overall quality of life.
There are various classifications for PH, each relating to different underlying causes and also...

Pulmonary embolism (PE) occurs when a thrombus, fat or air embolus, amniotic fluid, or tumor tissue blocks one or more pulmonary arteries. These blockages originate in the venous system or the right side of the heart.EtiologyPE primarily arises from deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and other hypercoagulable states, such as inherited thrombophilias. Additional etiological factors include venous stasis, commonly seen in obesity, and endothelial injury from surgery and trauma. Less common causes include...

A blood clot, or thrombus, is a semi-solid mass composed of fibrin, platelets, and red blood cells. When it forms within a vessel, it can obstruct blood flow, known as thrombosis. If part of the clot detaches, it becomes an embolus that can travel and block distant vessels. When this occurs in the pulmonary arteries, it causes a condition known as pulmonary embolism (PE).Origin and ImpactMost often, the embolus originates from a thrombus in the deep veins of the lower limbs, a condition called...

Pneumothorax means the presence of air in the pleural space — the thin potential gap between the visceral and parietal pleura. This condition disrupts the normal pressure balance that keeps the lungs inflated, leading to partial or complete collapse of the affected lung.Normal physiologyUnder normal conditions, the pleural space maintains a slightly negative intrapleural pressure, which keeps the lungs expanded against the chest wall. This negative pressure creates a delicate balance between...

Assessing blood pressure is a standard procedure executed in virtually all medical environments. The method utilized today was established over a hundred years ago by an innovative Russian doctor, Dr. Nikolai Korotkoff. The soft ticking noise, known as Korotkoff sounds, heard while taking blood pressure readings results from turbulent blood flow within the vessels. The apparatus required for this procedure includes a sphygmomanometer, a blood pressure cuff attached to a gauge, and a stethoscope.

Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease, or COPD, is a long-term condition marked by persistent and only partially reversible airflow limitation. It involves two overlapping conditions—chronic bronchitis and emphysema—which often co-appear but differ in dominant symptoms and underlying mechanisms.Chronic Bronchitis FeaturesChronic bronchitis presents with a persistent productive cough and thick, sometimes purulent mucus due to airway inflammation, enlarged mucus glands, and goblet cell...