Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a condition wherein high blood pressure affects the arteries in the lungs causing right ventricular failure. There are several causes of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Detecting it at the right time can help patients treat the condition well and boost their quality of life.

Let’s take a look at some of the causes.

  • Genetic mutation
    One common cause of pulmonary arterial hypertension is genetic mutation. The condition runs in the family and gets passed on to future generations.
  • Portal hypertension
    Pulmonary arterial hypertension can be associated with this condition as there is an abnormal high blood pressure inside the liver, which causes veins to become swollen.
  • Lowering of the amount of oxygen
    In certain conditions like pneumonia, the lungs suffer from inflammation resulting in poor oxygen supply to the body. This causes the vessels along the heart to contract, which leads to increased pressure.
  • High altitude
    Prolonged subjection to high altitude that can trigger an increase in the level of stress hormones due to poor oxygen. It is one of the causes of pulmonary arterial hypertension.
  • Certain medications
    Anti-obesity medications including dexfenfluramine and phen are known for triggering pulmonary hypertension in some patients. Additionally, few of the illegal prescriptions can cause this disease.
  • Scleroderma
    The minor causes of pulmonary arterial hypertension also include rare diseases like scleroderma that leads to stiffening of the skin as well as connective tissues. The condition narrows of the blood vessel along the lungs, causing inflammation and damage that triggers pulmonary arterial hypertension.
  • Clotting disorders
    Pulmonary embolism is a condition where clot moves to the lungs and restricts blood flow, causing the pulmonary arteries to block.
  • Left heart disease
    Due to mitral valve disease or an aortic valve condition, some people have troubles on the left side of the heartTo compensate for the loss, right side of the heart works harder. This leads to elevation of arterial pressure that causes pulmonary hypertension.
  • Congenital heart disease
    Eisenmenger syndrome, which belongs to the category of congenital heart disease, is also one of the leading causes of pulmonary arterial hypertension. The condition happens due to the formation of a large hole along the heart between its two ventricles, also known as a ventricular septal defect. The hole leads to an incorrect flow of blood along the heart, triggering elevated pressure along the arteries and generating hypertension.
  • Kidney problems
    Any kind of kidney disease restricts the release of hormones that aids in regulating blood pressure and balancing relevant chemicals in the blood. This causes certain heart ailments like arterial hypertension.

Several other health conditions can trigger this condition, which includes being overweight. However, using certain serotonin inhibitors can offer therapeutic benefits to patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.