Pulmonary artery hypertension or PAH is a condition in which one’s lungs and heart are affected. Due to the narrowed arteries (blood carriers from the heart to the lungs), the blood pressure increases and strains the right ventricle. If left untreated, PAH can lead to severe consequences such as heart failure. Understanding early signs and their possible causes may increase awareness and help a doctor for better diagnosis.

Now let’s understand the causes and symptoms of PAH.

Symptoms
The symptoms of pulmonary artery hypertension tend to develop gradually and may go unnoticed for years. However, as the condition worsens, the symptoms aggravate in time. Some of the common symptoms of PAH are:

1. Breathlessness
One may experience shortness of breath, especially during exercise. Eventually, breathlessness may be noticed even when one is at rest.

2. Heart palpitations
In PAH, the heart works twice as hard to pump blood. Due to this, one may experience irregular heartbeats.

3. Weakness and tiredness
As the muscles get less efficient at pumping blood, they work harder to get the job done. This tires down a person and causes fatigue and shortness of breath.

4. Bluish skin and lips
The blood transports oxygen throughout the body. In PAH, the body does not receive adequate oxygen. Therefore, the lips and skin turn blue.

Causes
PAH happens when the artery connecting the heart and the lungs is blocked or interfered with. Several conditions influence the development of pulmonary artery hypertension. Some of the common causes of PAH are:

1. Genetics
Genes play a significant role in the development of pulmonary artery hypertension. A gene called BMPR2 is responsible for the condition. If any one parent passes on the gene to the child, they have a 20% chance of developing this condition. If one knows of any family member with this condition, one should get their symptoms evaluated.
2. Liver and lung conditions
Certain liver conditions such as liver cirrhosis and chronic liver disease and lung diseases like COPD and the formation of tumors cause pulmonary artery hypertension. These conditions tend to block or interfere with the arteries in the liver and lungs, thus increasing the blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs.

3. Heart disease
Certain existing heart conditions such as congenital heart disease and left heart failure can lead to PAH. This is because increase heart functionality, pressure, and blood flow may lead to the condition.

4. Other conditions
Conditions like obesity and sleep apnea are also associated with PAH. This is because, in obesity, the added weight may add more pressure on the arteries. Sleep apnea may interfere with the functionality of the left artery. Losing weight or visiting a medical professional regarding this condition may help treat PAH.

5. Thromboembolic disease
This is a condition in which  the lungs and heart are pressured to transport blood due to certain problems like blood clots. This condition is challenging to diagnose and, thus, may go unnoticed. All this may lead to the development of pulmonary artery hypertension.