PH on Its Own Terms

Every Pulmonary Hypertension patient quickly develops a new vocabulary. Here are a few terms and acronyms.

PH = pulmonary hypertension

PAH = pulmonary arterial hypertension

PVH = pulmonary venous hypertension

PAP = pulmonary artery pressure

MPAP = mean pulmonary artery pressure

edema = swelling, usually due to fluid retention

SOB = short of breath

RHC = right heart catheterization

O2 = oxygen

syncope = faintingbecause of a temporary insufficiency of blood to the brain

6MWT = six minute walk test

echo = echocardiogram

PFT = pulmonary function test

ascites = fluid retention in the abdominal cavity

CCB = calcium channel blocker

INR = Pro-time (how long it takes the blood to clot)

CO = cardiac output

NO = nitric oxide and a potent vasodilator in gas form

dyspnea = SOB (short of breath)

Comments

  1. Wow, Nancy!! I didn't even know you had this blog! I'm going to get a cup of coffee and seriously read through everything you have here! I'm a knitter, but I can ONLY knit, I can't pearl and I can ONLY knit scarves or shawls, because they are just basically bigger scarves! I'm so excited to read and devour your blog! Thanks for sharing!!
    Annette

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  2. Some of these I know from my mom's illness. She has Pulmonary Fibrosis (PF) which is different, but she does have some of those same tests and such.

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  3. Nancy great job on all the definitions, there were a few I didn't know what they menat.

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  4. This is a great post, Nancy! "Old timer" PHers use these terms and abbreviations so freely, that it's hard to remember sometimes that the newbies don't know what the heck we are talking about! lol It's good to have them listed!!

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  5. Nancy..great post...Keep up the great job...and the knitting as well..I am not crafty...so I am really impressed...Stocking and all..
    Take care

    Hugs,
    Jen

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