Conditions & Treatments
- A to Z Guide

Pulmonary hypertension

Disease Information

Overview

Only a little more than a decade ago, our understanding of this condition was very crude, and effective therapy more of a hope than a reality. Thanks to advances in basic science and clinical research, much better therapies have been developed, and nearly every year brings new treatments for this disorder.

Thomas Kulik, MD, director, Pulmonary Hypertension Program

Many people know about the condition known as high blood pressure, or hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension (PH) refers to high blood pressure in the vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lungs, known as the pulmonary artery. It’s a rare condition in both kids and adults.

Since the symptoms of PH aren’t specific to the condition, pulmonary hypertension can be difficult to diagnose.
A child with PH may feel barely affected, or may be quite sick.
Thanks to advances in basic science and clinical research, much better therapies have been developed, and nearly every year brings new treatments for PH.

How Children’s Hospital Boston approaches pulmonary hypertension

Here at Children’s, the mission of the Pulmonary Hypertension Program is threefold:

Provide the best possible care for our patients. Ours is a multidisciplinary approach using experienced physicians and other clinical professionals who have expertise in specific areas. Your child’s care may also involve consultation with specialists at other institutions, to make sure that we bring the best collective knowledge to each case.
Advance our understanding of pulmonary hypertension and develop new therapies. This serves both current and future patients: Our clinical trials regularly bring new treatments to our patients sooner than would be otherwise possible.
Train new practitioners. As a program with enormous experience in treating children with pulmonary hypertension, it’s our responsibility to help train the next generation of professionals dedicated to curing this disease.

“Helping Your Child with Medical Experiences: A Practical Parent Guide”
Download a free booklet, “Helping Your Child with Medical Experiences: A Practical Parent Guide” (please note that Adobe Acrobat is required) and read about topics including: talking to your child about his condition preparing for surgery and hospitalization supporting siblings taking care of yourself during your child’s illness adjusting to life after treatment

“Helping Your Child with Medical Experiences: A Practical Parent Guide”

Download a free booklet, “Helping Your Child with Medical Experiences: A Practical Parent Guide” (please note that Adobe Acrobat is required) and read about topics including: