PULMONARY HYPERTENSION: CURRENT PROBLEMS IN DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a group of diseases characterized by progressive increase of pulmonary vascular resistance, which leads to development of right ventricular failure and premature death of patients. The article presents contemporary clinical and functional classification of PH, and an algorithm for diagnostic search with four stages. It is shown that conventional therapy with calcium antagonists, anticoagulants, diuretics, and oxygen often is ineffective in patients with PH, has not influence on prolongation of life and improvement of quality of life. New approaches to the therapy of PH with endothelin receptor antagonists, prostanoids, and phosphodiesterase inhibitors are considered.

pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary artery pressure, endothelin receptor antagonists, bosentan