What Are Its Effects?

The affects of Secondary Pulmonary Hypertension depend on the nature and severity of the condition that causes it. Among the congenital heart defects that may result in high pulmonary pressure are the following:

Aortic Stenosis
Aortopulmonary Window
Atrial Septal Defect
Atrioventricular Canal Defect, Complete
Coarctation of the Aorta
Dilated Cardiomyopathy
Double Outlet Right Ventricle
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
Mitral Stenosis
Patent Ductus Arteriosus
Single Ventricle
Truncus Arteriosus
Ventricular Septal Defect

The symptoms of Pulmonary Hypertension include shortness of breath, fatigue, syncope (temporary loss of consciousness), chest pain, and leg or ankle swelling. In addition, there is a loud heart murmur. Without treatment, the patient's condition will steadily worsen and life expectancy will be short.

Most of symptoms of pulmonary hypertension result from progressive right ventricular failure. The right ventricle is responsible for pumping blood through the lungs. With progressive narrowing of the pulmonary arteries, the right ventricle will reach the limit of how much blood pressure it can generate and start to fail, developing the symptoms described above.