Pulmonary hypertension risk factors

Assistant Editor(s)-in-Chief: Ralph Matar,

Risk factors for developing Pulmonary Hypertension
Pulmonary hypertension can be diagnosed in people of all ages, races, and ethnicity. However some risk factors make some people more likely to get the disease. These risk factors include:
 * 1) Gender: Females are at least two-and-a-half more likely to have idiopathic and familial pulmonary hypertension than males.
 * 2) Family history of the condition: defined by two or more family members having a gene mutation causing pulmonary hypertension.
 * 3) Co-morbidities: certain diseases or conditions, such as heart and lung diseases, liver disease, HIV infection, connective tissue disorders like scleroderma and lupus are associated with pulmonary hypertension.
 * 4) Obstructive sleep apnea by causing a drop in oxygen level when the patient is asleep.
 * 5) Being prone to have recurrent Pulmonary Embolism.
 * 6) The use of street drugs(such as cocaine) or certain appetite suppressors like methamphetamines and the diet drug “fen phen”.
 * 7) Living at high altitudes for a long period of time.(hypoxemia).


 * While pregnancy in itself is not considered a risk factor for pulmonary hypertension, a female who gets pregnant and has pulmonary hypertension carries a higher risk of mortality, for this reason, pregnancy is contraindicated in patients with PAH.


 * If needed, birth control pills containing the lowest amount of estrogen are recommended. However, nearly half of the specialists did not advocate using birth control pills for their patients, and some actively discouraged patients from doing so because of concern over the possible role of estrogen in worsening PAH