Pulmonary hypertension is a chronic pulmonary disease of unknown origin. The condition is characterized by high blood pressure in the blood vessels that carry blood from the heart to the lungs.

Primary and secondary pulmonary hypertension are the two types. Primary pulmonary hypertension is rare and it has no identifiable cause. Secondary pulmonary hypertension can be caused by a variety of factors, including lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, hereditary connective tissue disorders, or anemia.

The symptoms of this condition include shortness of breath, chest pain when breathing deeply or coughing, fatigue and general ill feeling. A person with this condition will also have signs on examination such as a fast heart rate, low oxygen levels in their blood and abnormal sounds in their chest area when listening with a stethoscope.

The diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension can be difficult to make because there are no specific tests that can diagnose it. The diagnosis is made through a combination of symptoms and clinical history.

Smoking and obesity are two risk factors for this condition.