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Updated: Dec 17, 2025
10:03
Evaluation of Right Ventricular Function in Experimental Models of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Published on: June 27, 2025
585
[Pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension in elderly patients: a descriptive study]
Claire Caby1, Amélie Servettaz2, Violaine Noël2
1Département de médecine générale, Université de médecine de Reims, Reims, France.
Summary
Precapillary pulmonary hypertension (PH) affects the elderly more frequently, presenting with similar clinical features but a poorer prognosis compared to younger patients. Management strategies like oxygen therapy and diuretics are more common in older individuals.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pulmonology
- Geriatrics
Background:
- Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a serious condition that complicates many diseases and appears to be increasing in the elderly.
- However, PH in older adults remains understudied, necessitating research into its specific characteristics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the diagnostic features, prognosis, and management of precapillary PH in elderly patients compared to younger individuals.
- To identify differences in clinical presentation and outcomes between these age groups.
Main Methods:
- A retrospective single-center study included 146 patients with precapillary PH diagnosed via right cardiac catheterization.
- Elderly patients (≥65 years) were compared to younger patients (18-64 years), excluding those with post-capillary PH.
Main Results:
- Elderly patients showed similar PH classifications but more frequent arterial hypertension, lower extremity edema, and reduced 6-minute walking distance.
- Younger patients had lower FEV1 and higher right atrial pressure.
- Oxygen therapy and diuretics were more common in the elderly, who also had significantly lower 3- and 5-year survival rates.
Conclusions:
- Precapillary PH is encountered in the elderly, often with similar clinical and paraclinical features to younger patients.
- Despite similarities, PH has a worse impact on the general health of elderly patients, leading to a poorer prognosis.
- This highlights the need for tailored management and further research in geriatric PH populations.
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