Pulmonary Hypertension in dogs

Abstract

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) or Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) is a progressive disease, poorly described in Veterinary Medicine, which is characterized by increased pulmonary vascular resistance and consequently increased pulmonary arterial pressure. This situation ends with progressive right ventricular dysfunction and death from heart failure if untreated. In Veterinary Medicine, PH normally is identified during the evaluation of animals with chronic pulmonary disease or right cardiac failure. Hence, the risk of veterinary patients show PH is reflected by the probability that they have to suffer from pulmonary or chronic cardiac valve diseases. The diagnostic is performed by Doppler echography or cardiac catheterism and treatment is based on primary cause elimination and cardiovascular stabilization, as well as oxygen improvement and pulmonary arterial pressure reduction.