Q. Is there a permanent cure for pulmonary hypertension?
Hi doctor,
I am suffering from rheumatoid arthritis for past 15 years, which has now affected my whole body. Since one and a half year, I am getting shortness of breath and cough. Last year, when I was admitted in the hospital to get this treated, my doctor advised me to use external oxygen for long term. Since then, I am using oxygen concentrator. Over a month, my shortness of breath and cough has increased and I am finding difficulty even in speaking. Please help.
Hi,
Welcome to icliniq.com.
- Both rheumatoid arthritis and pulmonary hypertension are chronic diseases. As there is no permanent cure for it, the aim of treatment in such case is control of symptoms only. Medicines help only to control the symptoms.
- You are a known rheumatoid arthritis patient and now have developed pulmonary hypertension which is idiopathic. Now to manage breathlessness you are using long-term oxygen support. This is just the progression of both diseases which makes it difficult to manage.
- At present you are taking tablet Sildenafil 20 mg twice daily. I would like to recommend tablet Ambrisentan (Pulmonext) 5 mg once daily with tablet Tadalafil 20 mg daily if liver function test is normal.
- I strongly suggest you to discuss these drugs with your pulmonologist and make sure you are taking the tablet under his guidance only.
- Continuous oxygen supplementation should be given to keep oxygen saturation above 95%.
- Close monitoring of all vital parameters is very important.
- Regular checkup with cardiologist for monitoring pulmonary artery pressure recommended.
- These medications will help to reduce the need of oxygen to some extent and help to improve exercise intolerance.
- As I told, treatment of PAH (pulmonary arterial hypertension) is very complex and runs long. So, close supervision with pulmonologist is very important.
- Monitoring liver and renal function along with the use of these drugs is necessary to avoid side effects.
For further information consult a pulmonologist online --> https://www.icliniq.com/ask-a-doctor-online/pulmonologist
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