PH Awareness Month - Post #4

Q. What tests are used to decipher whether or not a person has PH?

A. Many times, an echocardiogram is done on a person, and possible PH is detected in that test by measuring the pulmonary artery pressure. Actually, in an echo, the pap is estimated. Echos can be way off. For this reason, if an echo reading is on the high side, then a right heart catheterization (RHC) should be done. An RHC can tell the exact pressures in the heart. Other tests that doctors usually have a patient go through can include: a 6 minute walk (6mw), pulmonary function tests, chest x-rays, VQ scans, arterial blood gas (ABG), CT scan, and MRI.

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