DIAGNOSIng Pulmonary Hypertension Pulmonary hypertension (PH)
can be difficult to diagnose in a routine medical exam because
the most common symptoms of PH, such as breathlessness, fatigue
and dizziness, are also associated with many other conditions.
If your doctor suspects that you have PH, he or she will want to
review your medical and family history, perform a physical exam
and perform one or more diagnostic tests. To determine if you
have PH, your medical team will schedule specialized tests. If
your medical team suspects PH as a result of one or more of the
following tests, they will go on to schedule a right-heart
catheterization, which is required to confirm diagnosis. Blood
tests check the oxygen levels in the blood, they observe liver
and kidney function, and they identify whether the patient has
collagen vascular disease, thyroid problems, signs of infection
or HIV antibodies. One test, the brain natriuretic peptide,
helps to assess the strain on the heart and may also be used to
monitor response t