Lungs With Pph example essay topic

879 words
Primary Pulmonary Hypertension INTRODUCTION A. Each year in the US there are about 300 new cases of PPH diagnosed each year. B. My purpose today is to inform you on the disease PPH. This topic concerns you because it is a deadly disease that is on the rise. D. Today I will discuss... 1. What the disease is 2. Causes of PPH 3. Symptoms of PPH 4.

Diagnosis 5. Course and Treatment PPH-What is it? Primary (unexplained) pulmonary hypertension (abnormally high blood pressure) is an extremely rare lung disorder. Pulmonary hypertension occurs when there are changes in small blood vessels in the lungs resulting in an increased resistance to move enough blood through the lungs. The resistance places a strain on the right ventricle which must work harder to pump enough blood. If untreated, or if the conditions are generally bad enough, the right side of the heart may fail resulting in death.

PPH-What are the causes? There is no definite cause of PPH, but there are possibilities. 1. PPH may be the result of another infection such as heart disease, lung disease, or HIV. 2. PPH may be genetic.

A specific chromosome which runs in families is linked to PPH although the type of defect is yet unknown. 3. Familial Inheritance 4. Diet Drugs-By far this is the most known cause. Fen-Phen and Dexfenfluramine, 2 diet drugs have been studied and are linked to numbers of cases of pp. These drugs can cause PPH in as little as 23 days the risk increases with the amount of time it is used.

5. Serotonin-Although this is not proved, it is believed that the above diet drugs increase the release of serotonin which is often found in patients transplanted lungs with PPH. It is very possible that this is a cause What are the symptoms of PPH? In the early stages of PPh there are no symptoms. Usually person will go to the doctor for another disease and will find that it can't be cured. After numerous tests, PPH is found to be the primary cause. 1. frequent tiredness or tiring easily as if you are out of shape.

2. Difficulty breathing, dizziness, fainting 3. Swelling in ankles / legs, bluish lips and skin 4. chest pain 5. trouble getting air 6. Palpitations-may be so severe that it is compared to a heart attack.

How is PPH diagnosed? 1. Electrocardiogram-indicates whether heart is under increased stress 2. PPH is rarely picked up in a routine medical exam. It is usually confused with other heart / lung diseases.

3. Echocardiogram-The doctor uses sound waves to map a structure of the heart and see if the right side is larger. 4. Pulmonary Function Tests-measures lung volume. 5.

Right-heart Cardiac Catheterization-A catheter (tube) is placed in the patient's arm, let, neck... to measure the blood pressure of the right side of the heart. what is the course and Treatment of PPH? PPH starts when a layer of cells in the lungs are damaged. As a result, tissue is formed, and muscles appear in your lungs which would not normally be there. Blood vessels tighten as the lungs become more compact.

Blood clots may form. The heart gets bigger because it has to work harder to freshen the blood with oxygen. The right ventricle becomes weak and loses pumping ability, eventually, without treatment or transplants, failing. treatment-1. Anticoagulants-decrease blood clots in lungs. 2. Prostacycline-Prostacycline is administered intravenously by a portable battery operated pump.

A shoulder pack is used to hold the medicinal cassettes which constantly deliver medicine. 3. Flolan-Flolan is a form of. It is a lifetime drug therapy through pump. Flolan slows scarring and relaxes blood vessels, greatly increasing the life of the patient from anywhere to 3-5 years... but has helped some people for much longer.

Flolan is a powder in a glass vial which is mixed daily... takes about 10-15 minutes... and stored in a plastic cassette. Doses change often. The drug lasts three to five minutes so it must constantly be infused by slowly being pumped through the chest. It costs about 100,000 dollars per year.

4. Lung Transplant-Usually a single lung is transplanted. It is best to have one lung transplanted because the heart then usually decreases in size itself. This is a great cure to PPH but it is extremely hard to get lungs and you have to been a list. You can usually only get a lung when you are in great danger of die ing which is not even the best time to get transplant.

All of these treatments are extremely important and without them the patient may die in a matter of days. CONCLUSION A. Today I have informed you on PPH. My main points were the causes, diagnoses, symptoms, and treatments of PPH.C. Thank you for your time. Does anyone have any questions?

Bibliography

Med Help International, , (1994-2002), PRIMARY PULMONARY HYPERTENSION, Available- web 5/09/02 A CCP, (no date found), Lesson 22, volume 12 Primary Pulmonary Hypertension Causes and Current Treatments, available- web 5-11-02 Cardiovascular Physicians, (1999) Pulmonary Hypertension-Heart Center Online For Patients, web 5-09-02 GW USA, (2001), Flolan Information Center: Primary Pulmonary Hypertension, available- web causes.
html, (5-12-02) Armond A. Serin sky, Ph. D., (2002), PH Central: Medical Issues- Treatments: Flolan, web (5-12-02) Calliope Media LLC, (1997), A Fen Phen Attorney For You-Finding an attorney to assist you with your Fen Phen claim, web (5-11-02).