Pulmonary Hypertension
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a primary or secondary condition in which the blood pressure that occurs in the arteries of the lungs (the pulmonary arteries) is too high and raised up normal limits. Our Center at UHM involve the Pediatric Cardiology Team, the adult Cardiology Department as well as Pediatric and Adult Internal Medicine Services, Intensivits, Radiologists, Lung Services,Pediatric Neurologist, Anatomopathology Departement and Biology Services
►Based on such organization and certified by the French Ministery Of Health, the UHM works as the single Interregional Center for all the Antilles-Guyane area (Martinique, Guadeloupe and French Guyana)
►Diagnostis of severe PH in children neds major tools such as Repeated Specialized Echocardiograms, Cardiac Catheterization, Cardiac Output measurements, calculation of the Pulmonary bed Vascular Resistances (PVR), CT Scan, Lung Perfusion, Lung Functional tests, genetic research
►The dedicated Team at UHM works in active collaboration with main National French Center
- Sometimes there is no identifiable cause (idiopathic PH). However, in the pediatric population,recently identified genetic defects or imune disorders or very rare systemic diseases have been recognized as contributing factors to the development of Pulmonary Hypertension
- Beside Primary PH, another type of PH, called secondary pulmonary hypertension occurs when the arteries in the lungs become too narrow for blood to flow through the vessels normally or because there are too few vessels to begin with. As a result, the heart works harder to pump blood through the lungs, causing pressure in the pulmonary artery to rise
- Narrowing of the vessels in secondary PH might be associated either with blood clotting in lungs arteries, Congenital Herat Diseases (CHD) or rarely with liver Disease
►PH might be really hard to diagnose in Pediatric Patients
- For primary or secondary Pulmonary Hypertension, first symptoms of PH can be a shortness of breath during mild physical activity. However some children or teenagers may experience fainting spells during some exercise
There is currenty no currative treatment for primary PH, but some new treatments using different ways may help to reduce symptoms
A careful follow-up and monitoring by a Pediatric Cardiologist is always requested
Under Construction
Contact us
For urgent request, it is advisable to contact the 24-hours Call Center Service:
International Tel Number:
+596 596 751575
International Fax Number:
+ 596 596 755980
And to follow instructions in the Contact Us box
Heavy medical support with extra fee can be offered with a short notice for retrieval of critically sick patients.