[Pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease].

Abstract

PULMONARY HYPERTENSION DUE TO LEFT HEART DISEASE. Pulmonary hypertension due to left heart disease (PH-LHD) is the leading cause of PH worldwide and is associated with poor short to long-term survival. Its diagnosis (mean pulmonary artery pressure > 20 mmHg with pulmonary artery wedge pressure > 15 mmHg) requires right heart catheterization at rest and afterwards, isolated post-capillary PH (RVP lower 2 WU) has to be separated from combined pre- and post-capillary PH (RVP ≥ 2 WU). Pulmonary vasodilator therapies are not indicated in PH-LHD (grade III) and the main goal is to optimize left heart disease treatment (i.e., heart failure with preserved or reduced ejection fraction or valvular heart disease).