Published 11 May 2021

Pulmonary arterial hypertension

National Quality Registry for PAH & CTEPH (SPAHR)

Registry category: Cardiovascular diseases

Certification level: 2

Central personal data controller (CPUA): Region Uppsala

Patient data from diagnosis and from follow-up visits are reported to the Swedish PAH Register (SPAHR). Thus, the register is a useful instrument for analysis of short- and long-time outcomes, contributing to improved quality of care, treatment, and prognosis of patients across the country.

The register offers an appropriate platform for evaluation of new treatment strategies, including new medicines and surgical procedures.

Pulmonary Hypertension

The term Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) is synonymous with high blood pressure in the lung circulation. The most common causes leading to PH are diseases related to the left side of the heart and diseases affecting the lung parenchyma and/or the airways. Much more seldom, PH may be caused by structural changes of the lung vessels in which case the term Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is used.

PAH may appear spontaneously and without an apparent cause (idiopathic PAH) or in association with other diseases (associated PAH). The most common causes of associated PAH are connective tissue disease and congenital heart disease with septal defect/shunt. Acute pulmonary embolism may, in rare cases, lead to high pressure in the lung circulation and a PAH-like disease, known as CTEPH.

The most common symptoms of pulmonary hypertension are shortness of breath in connection with physical activity and general tiredness. These are, however, common symptoms, which most often - after routine examination with chest x-ray, ECG, ultrasound of the heart, and pulmonary functional tests - are shown to be caused by left heart disease or lung disease. If, after the standard investigation, the suspicion of PAH or CTEPH remains, the patients should be further evaluated by right heart catheterization for accurate measurements of the blood pressure and flow in the lung circulation.

At present, several medical and surgical therapeutic alternatives for patients with PAH and CTEPH are available, all of which may improve quality of life and survival. Nevertheless, PAH and CTEPH are still serious conditions and early diagnosis and treatment may be critical for the patients wellbeing and outcome.

Patients suspected of having PAH or CTEPH require a careful evaluation and complex diagnostic procedures, as well as, systematic follow-ups in case the diagnosis is confirmed; therefore the medical care of these patients should be handled by expert PAH/CTEPH centres.

Contact information

Find contact information on the registry’s website.

SPAHR

Informationsansvarig

  • Ulrika Forsberg
    Kommunikatör