One out of two thousand can get pulmonary hypertension. Those who are at risk have to worry about the diagnosis and early detection of this disease. Ukrainian Rare Disease Association and Charitable Foundation of “Sister Delila” implement a project of early diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension in Lviv region with the support of the American Association of pulmonary hypertension in conjunction with the Lviv Regional State Administration and Regional Council. Pulmonary hypertension is a condition of high blood pressure in the pulmonary artery, which progresses. In case of treatment absence the patient’s life expectancy is only three years!

“The symptoms are nonspecific: the patient may have shortness of breath and bluish lips but he would consider it to be disruption of the heart, not the lethal disease. Nevertheless, shortness of breath is the first sign of increased pressure in the pulmonary artery. In addition, there is dizziness, bluish lips and limbs, fatigue, weakness”- says Oksana Kulish, head of the Foundation of “Sister Dalila” and PHURDA (http://www.lvivpost.net/zdorovya/n/35302). According to her, there are five types of pulmonary arterial hypertension and only one of them is curable. It’s pulmonary embolism, which can be treated by surgery. Those who have other types of this disease should get permanent treatment that improves quality of life and continues its duration.

According to Christine Simon, PhD, assistant professor of internal medicine in Lviv Medical University, the causes of PH are the following:

– Genetics;

– Systemic connective tissue disease;

– Liver disease;

– Congenital heart disease;

– Acquired heart diseases, such as lesions of the left heart muscle, accompanied by fibrosis;

– Chronic lung disease;

– Blood diseases that can produce complications in the form of pulmonary hypertension.

“It is very important to diagnose this disease as each of its types has four classes of failure cardiopulmonary circulation.

First Class – when normal activity doesn’t cause dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain or weakness.

Second class –  the person feels comfortable while resting, but regular physical activity causes dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, weakness.

Third class – the slightest physical activity is accompanied by dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain or weakness.

Fourth grade – the person has definite symptoms of dizziness, shortness of breath, chest pain, weakness with minimal activity, even at rest. The disease progresses. It firstly affects lungs and later – the heart. Provided patient treatment the person can get lower classes. In case of treatment absence, the patient lives about three years after diagnosis “- warns Christine Simon.

Treatment a patient for a month, depending on the disease type, costs from 40 to 120 thousand UAH. To carry out such an expensive treatment, last year in the Lviv the Regional program of improvement of medical care for patients with pulmonary hypertension in 2015 – 2017 years had been approved. This program is created for 14 registered patients and provides them with medicines. However, as noted by Oksana Kulish, this year the number of patients with pulmonary hypertension increased to 23, so “Sister Delila” appealed to the deputies of the Lviv regional council to increase funding of the program and give those nine people the opportunity to get medicines.

“We hope to raise awareness among the public and attract the attention of citizens, doctors and officials to the disease to help save more lives” – sums up Oksana.

The information about the disease is placed on billboards in the city, as well as in the special brochures, which are handed out by volunteers in medical institutions in the district centers of Lviv region.

The project involves support service for patients with pulmonary hypertension. You can call 097151 09 01 and receive psychological and legal help, or make an appointment to a doctor to confirm the diagnosis at Lviv Medical University.