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Pulmonary Hypertension in the Elderly: Impact of Age on Diagnosis and Therapy Options

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Interventional Cardiology in the Elderly

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Abstract

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is defined by a mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP) ≥25 mmHg at rest on right heart catheterization (RHC) regardless of age. With respect to age at diagnosis, we observed a considerable increase during the last 30 years. Besides aging of the general populations of western countries, the main reason for this observation might be a change in referral pattern due to increased awareness of the disease in the face of steadily increasing medical treatment options. However, the consequences of this demographic change in western countries are well described. Patients diagnosed with PAH at an older age have more comorbidities, less severe hemodynamics, worse functional status, and worse survival. This chapter will provide current diagnostic modalities and recommended treatment as well as treatment goals.

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  1. Department of Internal Medicine II, University Medical Center Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany

    Tobias J. Lange

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  1. Universitatsklinikum Erlangen, Erlangen, Germany

    Harald Rittger

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Lange, T.J. (2015). Pulmonary Hypertension in the Elderly: Impact of Age on Diagnosis and Therapy Options. In: Rittger, H. (eds) Interventional Cardiology in the Elderly. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-21142-8_9

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