Cardiopulmonary Disease
Pulmonary hypertension
Occasionally, people with lupus develop pulmonary hypertension or high blood pressure in the blood vessels within the lung. If severe, this can be life-threatening, and there tends to be little chance for improvement.
Treating pulmonary hypertension
There is no uniformly successful medical treatment for pulmonary hypertension. Heart-lung transplants may be an option for some people with pulmonary hypertension caused by SLE.
Pulmonary emboli
Pulmonary emboli are blood clots that block the pulmonary arteries.
Symptoms of pulmonary emboli
- At first, the clots cause pleuritic (lung) pain and shortness of breath.
- These clots can lead to abnormal oxygen exchange in the lung and even death.
Diagnosing pulmonary emboli
- ventilation-perfusion (breathing and blood flow) scans of the lung
- angiography (dye injected into an artery)
- an evaluation for thrombophlebitis (inflammation of a vein due to a blood clot)
Risk factors in lupus for pulmonary emboli
- antiphospholipid antibodies
- decreased blood levels of protein S
- possible vascular damage
- prolonged bed rest.
Pulmonary hemorrhage
Pulmonary hemorrhage, or bleeding into the lung, is a rare but potentially fatal complication of SLE.
Symptoms of pulmonary hemorrhage
- fevers
- shortness of breath
- a cough
- blood-tinged sputum.
Diagnosing pulmonary hemorrhage
These symptoms are usually seen in the setting of multi-organ system involvement from SLE and a rapidly falling red blood count.
Treating pulmonary hemorrhage
Treatment usually includes high-dose corticosteroids with immunosuppressive agents. Aggressive supportive care is also crucial to maximize chance for recovery.
Conclusion
The broad array of cardiopulmonary problems associated with SLE requires a close working relationship between patient and physician. Preventive measures to reduce the number of flares and rapid evaluation of new or changing symptoms is crucial to minimize long-term problems. Treatment is always individualized to the type of heart and/or lung involvement. Ongoing medical supervision is essential to optimize therapy and prevent long-term side effects.
Related Information
On this web site
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MedlinePlus Tutorials: GERD
MedlinePlus: Coronary Disease
MedlinePlus: Heart Disease (General)
MedlinePlus: Heart Valve Diseases
Pulmonary Hypertension Association
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Bronchoscopy
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Lung function
Lung gallium (Ga.) scan
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Pulmonary ventilation/perfusion scan
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