At Sentara, our pulmonary hypertension and pulmonary arterial hypertension program was one of the first to earn Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA)-accreditation as a regional clinical program. Our team is highly involved in research and clinical trials focused on identifying new therapies. We also participate in the national PHA Registry (PHAR). Our doctors refer to this registry to build a customized care plan with therapies that are the most likely to help you.
Your care team may include:
- Pulmonologists
- Cardiologists
- Nurse practitioners
- Respiratory therapists
- Pharmacists
- Nurses
- Exercise physiologists
Your cardiopulmonary team (doctors specializing in the heart and lungs) can prescribe medications to relieve chest pain and shortness of breath. Medications may relax blood vessels in your lungs and make you more able to take part in physical activities. A subcutaneous (beneath the skin) pump or IV medications can provide longer-term relief.
With this type of monitoring, called watchful waiting, you will undergo regularly scheduled medical imaging tests and possibly other tests. A right heart catheterization can gauge how well you are responding to medication. With this procedure, your doctor guides a flexible tube from a vein in your groin to your right ventricle and pulmonary artery. He or she measures the pressure in both.
If your condition changes enough to require additional treatment, your doctor may recommend surgery.