What are common symptoms of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension?

The symptoms of Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are caused by the high resistance to blood flow through the lungs and increased stress on the heart. This can have a severe impact on the ability to exercise or to carry out normal daily activities.

Common early symptoms include¹:

• breathlessness or shortness of breath, particularly on exertion

• chronic fatigue

• dizziness, especially when walking upstairs or when standing up

• fainting

• swollen ankles and legs

• chest pain, especially during physical activity

The symptoms may not be obvious at first and they are often attributed to more common conditions such as asthma, general fatigue, or lack of physical fitness. However, over time they can become more severe and begin to limit daily life.  As the disease progresses, some patients may experience constant breathlessness and fatigue so that even simple tasks such as getting dressed and walking short distances become difficult.

References
1. Gibbs J, Higgenbottam T. Recommendations on the management of pulmonary hypertension in clinical practice. Heart (2001);86(1):i1-i13