Detection of pulmonary hypertension in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases

Abstract

Pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) was assessed using echocardiography and diameter of the pulmonary trunk was measured using computed tomography in 35 patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), 18 patients with bronchial asthma (BA) and 12 patients with bronchiectasis (BE). Statistically significant difference was found between the mean PAP in the patients studied and that in healthy. PAP values in the COPD and BA patients were higher than those in the BE patients. The PAP increase in patients with BE and BA was functional. The PAP higher 30 mm Hg in the COPD patients was accompanied by dilation of the pulmonary trunk which evidenced the organic nature of the pulmonary hypertension.