There’s no cure for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but there are many ways to manage the condition. The goal of treatment is to slow disease progression and ease symptoms to make day-to-day life easier and more comfortable.
Supportive treatments – along with medication – can help. Your doctor might suggest one or more of the following options.
Oxygen Therapy
This is simply breathing in pure oxygen. If you have hypoxemia (low blood oxygen), it helps ease strain on your heart and lungs. That makes it easier for your body to get the oxygen it needs. Ideally, you’ll feel less tired and short of breath.
Oxygen therapy is useful:
- During exercise
- While sleeping
- When flying
- At high altitudes
Some people with PAH need extra oxygen all the time, while others only use it in certain situations. If you have sleep apnea, talk to your doctor about treatments like oxygen therapy combined with positive airway pressure (PAP).
Diuretics
Commonly called water pills, diuretics help your kidneys get rid of extra fluid and sodium. This eases swelling in your legs, belly, or lungs, which lightens the load on your heart. That’s especially helpful if you have heart failure.
Common diuretics include:
- Bumetanide (Bumex)
- Furosemide (Lasix)
- Spironolactone (Aldactone)
- Torsemide (Demadex)
Your doctor may suggest taking diuretics once a day or more often, depending on your needs. Since they affect your vitamin and mineral balance, ask how often you should check your electrolyte levels. You may also need to watch how much salt you eat and drink to avoid extra fluid buildup.
Anticoagulants (Blood Thinners)
These drugs lower the odds of a blood clot in your lung arteries. That’s called a pulmonary embolism. Many people with PAH take one. Since blood thinners slow clotting, they can make bleeding harder to stop. Talk to your doctor about this risk, especially before surgery or dental work.
Digoxin
This drug helps your heart pump more blood. It also controls your heart rate. You’ll need regular blood tests and heart rhythm monitoring to make sure you’re on the safest, most effective dose.
Vaccinations
Vaccines help you fight infections that can make PAH worse. Some that are recommended for people with PAH include:
- Flu shot (seasonal influenza)
- Pneumococcal vaccine (to guard against pneumonia)
- COVID-19 vaccine (to lower your risk of severe illness)
- Tdap (protects against tetanus, diphtheria, and whooping cough)
If you’re 50 or older, you might also benefit from the:
- RSV vaccine
- Shingles vaccine
Ask your doctor which vaccines are best for you.
Surgery for PAH
If medicine isn’t enough to control your condition, your doctor may suggest surgery.
Atrial septostomy. The doctor makes an opening between the upper left and right chambers of the heart to ease pressure on the right side. The procedure may also lower blood pressure in the lungs.
Lung or heart and lung transplant. For some people, a lung transplant or a heart and lung transplant is necessary to survive pulmonary arterial hypertension, especially if you get the condition at a younger age.
Show Sources
Photo Credit: The Image Bank/Getty Images
SOURCES:
American Lung Association: “Treating and Managing PAH,” “PAH Medication and Treatment Guide,” “Do I Need (Supplemental) Oxygen?” “Patient & Caregiver Network.”
Mayo Clinic: “Pulmonary Hypertension,” “Iloprost,” “Epoprostenol.”
National Library of Medicine: “Treprostinil”
Cleveland Clinic: “Calcium Channel Blockers.”
National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute: “Pulmonary Hypertension – Living With.”
Stanford Medicine (Vera Moulton Wall Center for Pulmonary Vascular Disease): “FDA-approved Treatments for Pulmonary Hypertension.”
Journal of Exercise Rehabilitation: “Pulmonary rehabilitation and exercise in pulmonary arterial hypertension: An underutilized intervention.”
Circulation: “Is Anticoagulation Beneficial in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension? A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.”
American Heart Association: “Medications Used to Treat Heart Failure.”
CDC: “What Vaccines are Recommended for You.”
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Association: “Support Groups.”
