Pulmonary Hypertension Program

At UMass Memorial Medical Center, our Pulmonary Hypertension Program provides skilled diagnoses and individual treatment plans for people with pulmonary arterial hypertension, or high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs. Offering expedited appointments, new therapies, and clinical trials, our team works to improve function to minimize risk, stop disease progression, and improve quality of life.

About Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension is a serious disease that can become progressively worse, even fatal, if not properly treated. Early symptoms include:

• Shortness of breath during routine activity
• Fatigue
• Chest pain
• Racing heartbeat
• Pain in upper right side of abdomen
• Decreased appetite

The high blood pressure in your lungs causes your heart to work harder to pump blood to the lungs. Over time, this may lead to heart failure or an arrhythmia, an irregular heart beat. It’s important for patients to get an early and accurate diagnosis to treat their symptoms and prolong their lives. 

Treatment for Pulmonary Hypertension

With extensive experience in clinical research and treatment of pulmonary hypertension, our team of cardiologists, pulmonologists, and nurse practitioners coordinates every aspect of your care. When related conditions require treatment, we work with other specialties within UMass Memorial to ensure high-quality care.

Treatment for pulmonary hypertension may involve:

• Individualized medical therapy with access to current drug therapies
• Medications delivered through intravenous (IV) infusion
• Inhaled medications
• Medications administered orally
• Ongoing assessment of your response to treatment

The program staff also partners with primary or local physicians for continuing care.

Lifestyle Changes You Can Make to Improve Symptoms

• Quit smoking
• Eat healthy
• Watch your weight
• Stay active
• Follow instructions for follow-up care