Pulmonary Hypertension Program
Causes | Help for individuals | Team members
Overview of online chat with Dr. Ron Oren on July 18.
Pulmonary hypertension and its causes
Pulmonary hypertension is a disorder of the blood vessels of the lungs.
In this condition, the pressure in the pulmonary artery (the blood vessel that leads from the heart to the lungs) rises to above-normal levels and possibly become life threatening. Symptoms may include:
- shortness of breath with little or no exertion
- fatigue
- chest pain
- swelling
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a broad term that applies to any condition that elevates the lung artery pressure. Some common causes of PH include heart disease or breathing disorders such as emphysema, sleep apnea, or bronchitis.
An uncommon illness, which can result in PH, is Pulmonary Artery Hypertension (PAH). PAH is sometimes associated with inflammatory or collagen vascular diseases such as scleroderma, rheumatoid arthritis, or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Congenital heart diseases, pulmonary thromboembolism (blood clots in the pulmonary artery), HIV infection, liver disease, and diet drugs like fenfluramine and dexfenfluramine can also result in PAH.
When PAH is present but no cause is identified, the term idiopathic PAH is used.
Identifiation of PAH is important as treatments are available.
Help for individuals
Mercy’s Pulmonary Hypertension Program is designed to help patients enjoy a better quality of life and better prognosis. The program can also help shorten hospital stays and sometimes even prevent hospitalization.
The program provides:
- Prompt diagnosis and comprehensive evaluation using advanced testing and imaging including vasodilator testing, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, MRI, and CT
- Supervised treatment including medications (and sometimes FDA-sponsored clinical trials) and individual education. Treatments offered include: endothelin receptor antagonists (bosentan, Tracleer); sildenafil (Viagra, Revatio); prostacyclins, either inhaled (iloprost, Ventavis), subcutaneous (Remodulin), or IV (Flolan, Remodulin).
- Closely monitored follow-up by members of Mercy’s Pulmonary Hypertension team
Key Team Members
Treating pulmonary hypertension team requires a well-coordinated and experience team drawn from several different disciplines. Collectively Mercy's team has more than 35 years of experience in the diagnosis and treatment of PH. The team includes physicians, nurses, dietitians, pharmacists, exercise therapists, social workers, and others.
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Ron M. Oren, MD, FACC,
Director of the Heart Failure Treatment Program
Dr. Oren completed his medical education at Rush Medical College in Chicago in 1986. He completed his residency at Washington University Affiliated Hospital in St. Louis and fellowships in cardiovascular disease at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics and University of Utah Science Center. His practice includes cardiology and acute and chronic heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. complete bio
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Amy Becker, RN, Pulmonary Hypertension Team
Amy received a Bachelor of Science Degree at Buena Vista University in Storm Lake, Iowa, and an Associate Degree in Nursing at Mercy College of Health Sciences in Des Moines, Iowa. Amy has four years experience in the care of heart failure patients. Prior to coming to Mercy Iowa City, Amy worked as a heart failure and pulmonary hypertension research coordinator at University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics.
Amy has extensive experience in the clinical care of heart failure and pulmonary hypertension patients and has been involved in patient education projects and numerous research trials dealing with mediations and devices to help treat heart failure and pulmonary hypertension. |
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Becky Crane, RN, Pulmonary Hypertension Team
Becky Crane received both a Bachelor of Science Degree and a Master of Science degree from the University of Iowa College of Nursing. Becky has many years of experience in caring for the heart failure and pulmonary hypertension patient populations in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Prior to joining the Mercy Iowa City, Becky had spent the past 5 years as a heart failure and pulmonary hypertension care coordinator at the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics. |
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Carla Pies, RN, Pulmonary Hypertension Team
Carla Pies received an Associate Degree in Nursing from Des Moines Area Community College, a Bachelor of Science in Nursing Degree and a Masters of Science in Nursing Degree from the University of Iowa. Prior to working at Mercy Iowa City, she worked with the University of Iowa Heart Failure Treatment Program and Pulmonary Hypertension Program for the past 11 years. Carla has extensive experience in caring for people with heart failure and pulmonary hypertension and working on research projects to help improve care in these areas.
Some of the projects Carla has worked on include developing patient education materials, improving heart failure quality measures, and assessing depression in heart failure patients.
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