Diseases

Pulmonary Heart Disease

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Pulmonary heart disease, also known as cor pulmonale is the enlargement and failure of the right ventricle of the heart as a response to increased vascular resistance (such as from pulmonic stenosis) or high blood pressure in the lungs.

SYMPTOMS

Shortness of breath (dyspnea), initially while exercising and eventually while at rest, fatigue, dizziness or fainting spells (syncope), chest pressure or pain.
Swelling (edema) in your ankles, legs and eventually in your abdomen (ascites)

CAUSES

Pulmonary arterial hypertension can be caused by lung disease, autoimmune disease, or heart failure. When there is no apparent cause, it's called idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension. Pulmonary venous hypertension: increased blood pressure in the pulmonary veins (carrying blood away from the lungs, to the heart).