CAIRO – Many diseases have similar symptoms making accurate diagnosis difficult. Advances in Research and Development have enabled specialists to discover and employ new diagnostic methods, which define symptoms more accurately of a specific disease and contribute to the treatment plan drawn up. One such disease is pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). It is caused by a continuous narrowing and clogging in pulmonary blood vessels, which leads to high blood pressure of the pulmonary arteries. According to Dr Awad Tag el-Din, Head of the Egyptian Association of Pulmonary Diseases, PAH is very dangerous in afflicting these pulmonary arteries that connect the lungs with heart. “The right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs so the blood can capture the oxygen but, due to high blood pressure in the pulmonary artery impeding the blood flow through them, this leads to over-burdening the right side of the heart”, Dr Tag el-Din explains. Dr Tag el-Din noted that the global rate of patients suffering PAH ranges from 40 to 60 in every one million people. During a seminar held recently in Cairo on high pulmonary pressure, he stressed that the recorded incidence is constantly increasing resulting from raising awareness of the disease and updated diagnostic techniques. He mentioned that mortality rates as a consequence of a delay in receiving treatment are higher, for example, than in many cases of cancer. According to the global statistics, death is expected to occur within 30 months of a person being inflicted with the disease and not receiving treatment. The most common symptoms are shortness of breath, especially in undertaking daily activities, such as climbing stairs. Fatigue, dizziness, and fainting spells also can be symptoms. Swelling in the ankles, abdomen or legs, bluish lips and skin, and chest pain may occur as strain on the heart increases, Dr Tag el-Din noted. Dr Tareq Safwat, professor of pulmonary medicine, Ain Shams University stressed the importance of raising the awareness of both patients and junior doctors of the symptoms of PAH. Dr Medhat Abdel-Khaleq, professor of pulmonary medicine, Cairo University noted that in most cases, the main causes of PAH developing are unknown. Concerning the diagnosis, Dr Abdel Khaleq says that it is accomplished through three stages that precede treatment: first, measuring pulmonary artery hypertension; second, establishing the reasons behind high pulmonary pressure, while the third relates to studying the state of health of the patient, before deciding on the appropriate treatment. For his part, Dr Ayman Farghali, a chest diseases consultant, stresses the importance of early diagnosis and the immediate start of treatment. It is based on two axes: the first one is represented in recommendations such as exercises suitable to the patient's health case, emphasising that the doctor should ensure that the level of oxygen in blood is sufficient before the patient exerts exerting any effort. Women patients are advised to avoid pregnancy, which is accompanied by changes in blood pressure and the volume of blood that affects the heart.
