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Article: November is pulmonary hypertension awareness month.
- Article from:
- Oklahoma Nurse
- Article date:
- December 1, 2008
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2008 Oklahoma Nurses Association. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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[ILLUSTRATION OMITTED]
Pulmonary hypertension is a simplified name for a complex health problem-continuous high blood pressure in the pulmonary artery in the lungs, resulting in an enlarged heart which can also lose its ability to pump. There is no cure, but hope is growing every day for the PH community. In 1985 patients had a 50% chance of surviving 2.8 years past date of diagnosis but, thanks to new treatments, prognosis is improving. Patients are often times misdiagnosed or undiagnosed for years. PH is considered an 'invisible' health problem, because patients often do not appear to be sick, or their symptoms resemble other, more benign conditions. Symptoms ...