How Common Is Pulmonary Hypertension
Some types of PH are rare, such as pulmonary arterial hypertension and PH caused by blood clots. But other types are much more common, especially PH caused by heart or lung problems.
We dont know exactly how many people around the world have pulmonary hypertension. But some estimates show PH may affect 1 in 100 people. This means 50 million to 70 million people are living with PH.
PH is even more common among older adults. Around the world, about 1 in 10 adults over age 65 have PH.
Researchers believe the number of people diagnosed with PH will rise in the next few decades.
When To See Your Doctor
If your shortness of breath is accompanied by fever, chest pain, tightness in the throat, and wheezing, then you could be experiencing angina or a heart attack. These combinations of symptoms require immediate attention.
In general, if you are experiencing shortness of breath for no obvious reason like exercise, or it is on-going and frequent, speak with your doctor right away. Uncovering and treating the underlying cause will be the only way to correct the shortness of breath.
In This Article
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A Quick Success Story About Sore Breathing Muscles
I once developed a sharp pain in the side of my neck when I coughed or sneezed. It was clearly a muscular pain,12 specifically of the scalenes muscle group that kick in when you breathe hard. If I took a really deep breath, I could feel it a little too but it was mostly only clear when I coughed or sneezed.
Until I went for a run.
After a few minutes of huffing and puffing, that pain started up. I also felt distinctly short of breath, despite being generally quite fit. The pain was like a stitch in my side, but in my neck, and I was not getting full breaths. I realized I was barely using my diaphragm to breathe, and so my scalenes were working overtime to make up the difference and hurting and failing. I started using my diaphragm again and the pain steadily eased even though I kept running.
Not only was the pain clearly caused by over-using my scalenes while breathing, but I was able to fix a fairly significant pain problem without stopping my workout just by breathing differently. Thats a good, clear example of the easiest kind of breathing trouble to fix. What was going on?
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The Lung Cancer Centers At Ctca
Because lung cancer is often diagnosed after its progressed to an advanced stage, its important to turn to a clinical team with expertise to tailor a treatment plan specific to your tumor type, stage, genomic markers and other needs. Having a team of lung cancer experts collaborating daily, all under one roof, allows us to assemble a detailed treatment plan more quickly and more efficiently.
At the Lung Cancer Centers at each of our hospitals, our cancer experts are devoted to a single missiontreating lung cancer patients with compassion and precision. This singular focus enables our oncologists to stay up to date on new and emerging treatments and technologies, allowing us to help you make informed decisions about the options available to treat not just the disease but the side effects that may result. Clinical trials in immunotherapy, cryotherapy and other areas of innovation may be among the options available.
Each patients care team is led by a medical oncologist and coordinated by a nurse, who helps keep track of the various appointments, follows up on tests and answers questions that come up along the way. Your care team also may include a surgeon, radiation oncologist, radiologist, pathologist and interventional pulmonologist with specialized training in non-invasive procedures to help preserve lung function and reduce side effects.
Expert cancer care
What Are The Most Common Treatment Options For Obesity
Obesity treatments include a combination of diet and nutritional modification with counseling support, lifestyle changes and a consistent exercise program. Medications may also be prescribed.
In some cases, bariatric surgery may be an option. These include Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and gastric sleeve, also known as sleeve gastrectomy.
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Sudden Vision Changes May Be Signs Of A Stroke
As you age, its normal for your vision to progressively worsen. But dont ever ignore visual changes that affect only one eye, the sudden onset of double vision, or the inability to see the center of what youre looking at.
Vision changes that occur suddenly can be signs of a stroke. Theyre particularly alarming if they come with other warning symptoms of stroke, such as numbness on one side of the body, or difficulty speaking or finding the right words. More subtle variations on these symptoms could indicate a transient ischemic attack, commonly called a mini-stroke. Getting them checked out could prevent a larger stroke later, Baechler says.
Symptoms Of Laryngeal Cancer
Having a hoarse voice for more than 3 weeks is one of the most common symptoms of laryngeal cancer. Other symptoms include:
- pain or difficulty swallowing
- shortness of breath
The earlier a cancer is picked up, the easier it is to treat it and the more likely the treatment is to be successful. So it is important that you go to your GP as soon as possible if you notice worrying symptoms.
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Muscle Aches Fatigue And Shortness Of Breath
Muscle aches, fatigue and shortness of breath are three symptoms that often present themselves concurrently and are common to a variety of disorders or illnesses. The seasonal flu is the most common cause of this triad of symptoms, but the root of the problem may also be a more serious condition such as bronchitis, pneumonia or other viral or bacterial infection.
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Narrowing Of The Aortic Valve
Narrowing of the aortic valve is also called aortic valve stenosis, aortic stenosis, or AS. The aortic valve controls the flow of blood from the heart into the aorta, the bodys main artery. If the aortic valve is abnormally narrow, the blood being pushed through it is blocked. Pressure may build up within the heart, causing damage.
AS may be caused by a congenital malformation of the valve, or by calcium deposits and/or the scarring that occurs as a person ages.
Symptoms may not appear right away. There will be chest pain with the feeling of pounding heartbeat, as well as shortness of breath with fatigue, lightheadedness, or even fainting.
It is important to see a medical provider for these symptoms, since AS can lead to stroke, blood clots, and heart failure.
Diagnosis is made through physical examination, echocardiogram, CT scan, and sometimes a stress test.
Treatment may simply involve monitoring and medication, while making lifestyle improvements in diet, exercise, weight, and smoking. Surgery to repair or replace the faulty aortic valve may be recommended.
Rarity: Uncommon
Top Symptoms: fatigue, shortness of breath, chest pain, shortness of breath on exertion, decreased exercise tolerance
Urgency: Hospital emergency room
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How Should I Manage My Pulmonary Hypertension Medications
You may be taking many different medications to treat PH and other medical conditions. It can be a lot to keep track of. Heres some advice.
- Know the names of all your medications, and know how they work. Keep a list with you at all times.
- Take your medications at the same time every day. If you forget a dose, dont take two doses to make up for the dose you missed. Call your provider and ask what to do.
- Dont take any over-the-counter medications unless you ask your provider first. Some cold and flu medicines and pain relievers can cause problems for people with heart failure.
- Avoid any over-the-counter medications that have cautions for people with high blood pressure.
- Dont stop taking any medication or make any changes to your medications unless you first talk with your provider.
- Avoid herbal supplements including herbal tea. Herbal products may interact with some of your medications.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease is a group of lung diseases that block airflow and make breathing difficult. The airflow can be blocked by an inflammation of the lining of bronchial tubes that carry air to and from the lungs, which is called chronic bronchitis. When the air sacs in the lungs are gradually destroyed making breathing difficult it is called emphysema.
Symptoms of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease: Symptoms often don t appear until significant lung damage has occurred. The symptoms are mainly wheezing, shortness of breath, chest tightness, frequent respiratory infections, lips or fingernail beds becoming blue, tiredness and unexplained weight loss in the later stages.
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Diseases Related To Your Bowels And Intestines Can Result In Weight Loss And Improper Nutrition Absorption
Certain health conditions that affect the digestive system can cause weight loss, indicating there’s something more serious going on. “Celiac disease is when the ingestion of gluten causes damage to the small intestine, usually accompanied by diarrhea and bloating,” explained Petre. “This reaction hampers your ability to absorb nutrients properly.”
Additionally, inflammatory bowel diseases like Crohn’s can also result in weight loss due to malabsorption.
Why Does It Happen
The kidneys are two bean-shaped organs, the size of your fist, located on either side of the body, just beneath the ribcage. The main role of the kidneys is to filter waste products from the blood before converting them into urine. The kidneys also:
- help maintain blood pressure
- maintain the correct levels of chemicals in your body which, in turn, will help heart and muscles function properly
- produce the active form of vitamin D that keeps bones healthy
- produce a substance called erythropoietin, which stimulates production of red blood cells
Chronic kidney disease is the reduced ability of the kidney to carry out these functions in the long-term. This is most often caused by damage to the kidneys from other conditions, most commonly diabetes and high blood pressure.
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Pain Or Difficulty Swallowing
There are many different ways this can affect you. You might get the feeling:
- that there is something small stuck in your throat
- you are completely unable to swallow food
- of some pain or a burning sensation when swallowing food
- that your food is sticking in your throat
If you experience any of these symptoms for more than a few weeks, then you need to see your doctor for advice and further tests.
Microvascular Angina: Why Women Shouldnt Ignore Chest Pain And Fatigue
A sharp twinge, a sense of heaviness weve all felt chest pain from time to time. Sometimes its indigestion or a panic attack. But other times, its more serious.
Microvascular angina is an especially worrisome source of cardiac chest pain, and its often misdiagnosed because it doesnt show up as a blockage in the larger heart arteries during testing. This fact can cause doctors to miss the underlying cause.
Its concerning because the problem can be missed. It doesnt show up on a traditional angiogram, which can lead to delayed diagnosis if physicians dismiss the chest pain as nothing, says Erin Michos, M.D., associate director of preventive cardiology at the Ciccarone Center for the Prevention of Heart Disease.
This chest pain in one of the hearts arteries is more common in women than in men, says Michos.
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Unexplained Weight Loss And Fatigue Are Two Of The Most Common Symptoms You Will Experience With A Progressive Illness
Written by Mita Majumdar|Updated : May 11, 2022 11:11 PM IST
Are you someone trying to get rid of stubborn fat? While it will be so easy if weight loss were a piece of cake and wouldn’t have to work hard to shed it. Sounds impossible, right? But it is true for some people. Despite not doing anything, some people lose a lot of weight without dieting or working out. Well, it could feel like good news for someone trying to lose weight, but it isn’t. Unexplained weight loss and fatigue are two of the most common symptoms that people experience with a progressive illness. There are many possible causes of sudden weight loss and some of which might be caused due to a serious illness.
High Or Persistent Fever
The big worries: Fever is your bodys way of fighting infection. But fever of 103 degrees and higher warrants a trip to the doctor period, says David Bronson, M.D., president of the American College of Physicians. It may indicate a urinary tract infection, pneumonia, endocarditis or meningitis, which may require antibiotics to clear up. A persistent low-grade fever for several weeks with no obvious cause is characteristic of some infections, including a sinus infection, and some cancers, like lymphoma and leukemia. Cancer is on the list of things we think about, but it is usually not the first thing, says Ronan Factora, M.D., a geriatrician at the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio.
What else it might be: Fever can be triggered by a virus, which, depending on your health and other symptoms, may require hospitalization.
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Pacing Activity For People With Me/cfs
Pacing, or keeping within your available energy, is a self-management strategy to help people with ME/CFS make sure that they dont overdo activity or exercise. It reduces the likelihood of triggering PEM and can help reduce symptoms. Pacing is not a cure for ME/CFS and does not treat the underlying, physical cause of the disease.
The goal of pacing is for activity to be sustainable, so that the person can have some stability in their symptoms and what they can do each day. Pacing should be used in conjunction with rest.
The most challenging aspect of pacing is that PEM is very often delayed by as much as 24-48 hours, which can make it difficult to recognise when youve done too much. Using tools like an activity diary or heart rate monitor help you learn about your body and how much activity you can safely tolerate.
Suggestions on how to pace yourself include:
Rheumatoid Arthritis Can Alter Your Appetite And Cause Painful Swelling
Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease that causes inflammation, swelling, and pain in and around the joints.
Board-certified cardiologist and weight management specialist Dr. Luiza Petretold INSIDER that inflammatory conditions where your immune system mistakenly assaults your healthy tissues can alter your appetite, causing you to lose weight. Conditions like this can also cause inflammation in the gut, which Petre said interferes with the absorption of nutrients, potentially leading to unexplained weight loss.
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Does Obesity Affect Fertility
Obesity affects your hormones and can lead to insulin resistance. As a result, women who are obese have higher rates of menstrual dysfunction, including lack of periods or irregular periods. This causes problems in the production and release of eggs, resulting in infertility.
Obesity also affects a womans chances of getting pregnant through assisted means, such as IVF .
When To Get Medical Advice
See your GP if you experience persistent or gradually worsening symptoms of heart failure.
The symptoms can be caused by other, less serious conditions, so it’s a good idea to get them checked out.
Call 999 for an ambulance or go to your nearest accident and emergency department as soon as possible if you have sudden or very severe symptoms.
This is a medical emergency that may require immediate treatment in hospital.
Page last reviewed: 19 May 2022 Next review due: 19 May 2025
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Unintentional Weight Loss: Causes & When To Worry
Your weight is determined by so much more than what you eat-your activity level, health, age, nutrient absorption, and economic and social factors can all play a role in how much you weigh. Its common to gain or lose weightin fact, daily weight fluctuation is completely normal. However, if youre noticing that youre losing weight unintentionally without dieting, exercising, or changing your lifestyle, its worth taking notice. Unexplained weight loss, defined as losing 10 or more pounds over 6-12 months, could be the sign of an underlying condition.
Who Does Pulmonary Hypertension Affect
Pulmonary hypertension can affect adults at any age. It commonly affects people who have heart or lung conditions. Its also more common among people with other medical conditions. PH affects:
- Nearly 100% of people with severe mitral valve disease.
- About 65% of people with aortic valve disease.
- Up to 30% of people with scleroderma.
- About 20% to 40% of people with sickle cell disease.
- About 1 in 200 people with HIV.
PH usually affects adults. But rarely, it can affect newborns. This is called persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn . Infants with this condition may need treatment in the intensive care unit.
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Shortness Of Breath Loss Of Appetite Fatigue
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A Common Side Effect Of Depression Is A Loss Of Appetite
A common side effect of clinical depression is a loss of appetite, which can result in weight loss. “Oftentimes patients are so mired in depression that they don’t notice the weight loss,” explained Petre.
If you’re feeling depressed, even if you’re not experiencing weight loss, you may want to consult with your doctor or a healthcare professional. Other symptoms of depression can include irritability, indecision, loss of interest in things you once enjoyed, trouble sleeping, and difficulty thinking or concentrating.
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