Forum

Management of pulmonary hypertension

Bookmark and Share
Mohammed Rafique Essop, Nazzereno Galie, David B Badesch, Umesh Lalloo, Achter Goolam Mahomed, Datshana P Naidoo, Mpiko Ntsekhe, Paul G Williams

Abstract


Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a potentially lethal disease mainly affecting young females. Although the precise mechanism of PAH is unknown, the past decade has seen the advent of many new classes of drugs with improvement in the overall prognosis of the disease. Unfortunately the therapeutic options for PAH in South Africa are severely limited. The Working Group on PAH is a joint effort by the South African Heart Association and the South African Thoracic Society tasked with improving the recognition and management of patients with PAH. This article provides a brief summary of the disease and the recommendations of the first meeting of the Working Group.

Authors' affiliations

Mohammed Rafique Essop, Division of Cardiology at Chris Hani Baragwanath Hospital and the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg, South Africa; Working Group Committee on Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Nazzereno Galie, Pulmonary Hypertension Centre, University of Bologna, Italy

David B Badesch, Division of Pulmonary Sciences, Critical Care Medicine and Cardiology, and Pulmonary Hypertension Center, University of Colorado, Denver, Colorado, USA

Umesh Lalloo, Private practice, Mount Edgecombe Hospital, Durban, South Africa

Achter Goolam Mahomed, Intensive Care Unit, George Mukhari Academic Hospital, Sefako Makgatho Health Sciences University, Pretoria, South Africs

Datshana P Naidoo, Division of Cardiology, Inkosi Albert Luthuli Hospital and School of Clinical Medicine, College of Health Sciences, Nelson R Mandela School of Medicine, University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban, South Africa

Mpiko Ntsekhe, Division of Cardiology, Groote Schuur Hospital and Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Cape Town, South Africa

Paul G Williams, Pulmonologist, Milpark Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa; Working Group Committee on Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Full Text

PDF (121KB)

Keywords

Pulmonary hypertension

Cite this article

South African Medical Journal 2015;105(6):437-439. DOI:10.7196/SAMJ.9307

Article History

Date submitted: 2014-12-19
Date published: 2015-05-28

Article Views

Abstract views: 4216
Full text views: 1551

Comments on this article

*Read our policy for posting comments here