Asthma and Other Lung Diseases

Pulmonary Hypertension Center

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a rare but serious disease that causes high blood pressure in the lungs. It is a complex condition that can be caused or associated with various heart, lung, liver, or autoimmune disorders. It is a chronic progressive disease without a cure. The arteries leading from the heart to the lungs are narrowed therefore increasing stress on the heart and ultimately without treatment leading to heart failure and eventual death. Recent advances in therapy have led to improvement in symptoms and slow downing down of disease progression.

Signs and symptoms of pulmonary hypertension:

• Shortness of breath after walking short distances or when climbing stairs
• Dizziness
• Chest pain
• Fatigue
• Leg swelling

New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital Pulmonary Hypertension Program provides all required diagnostic procedures to establish an accurate diagnosis and determine severity of the disease state as well as to plan appropriate therapy. All testing modalities are available on site.

• Right heart catheterization with vasoreactivity testing
• Echocardiography
• Ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scans
• CT scans
• Pulmonary function tests
• Sleep studies
• Six-minute walk test
• Cardiopulmonary exercise test

New York-Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital's Pulmonary Hypertension program offers multidisciplinary collaborative approach with specialists in cardiology, hematology, rheumatology, and pulmonary rehabilitation.

Our bi-weekly dedicated pulmonary hypertension clinic is dedicated to establish a unique patient specific therapy plan. We provide all the FDA approved therapies including oral, inhaled, subcutaneous, and intravenous therapies.

A nurse who specializes in the care of PH patients facilitates patients’ care and is readily available to help patients with questions, problems, and obtaining medications.

Our program is actively involved in research providing patients with accessibility to clinical trials and novel treatment approaches. We also have a Pulmonary Hypertension Support Group which meets every other month providing educational opportunities and helps with building a support network for patients and families living with PH.

PH Program Staff

Pamela Hagley, BSN RN