Posted by Kate McCollough

In Reply to: What is cardiomyopathy and hypertension? posted by Bryan

Hi Bryan,

Cardiomyopathy is when the heart muscle (specifically the left
ventricle, which is the main pumping chamber of the heart) becomes
enlarged and weak and is unable to pump blood efficiently.

Pulmonary Hypertension is high blood pressure in the pulmonary
arteries, which lead from the right side of the heart into and through
the lungs.

To understand the relationship between the two conditions, picture
that the right side of the heart pumps blood to the lungs through the
pulmonary arteries. The blood flows through the lungs and travels to
the left side of the heart through the pulmonary veins. The left
ventricle of the heart then pumps the blood out to the body.

If the left ventricle is weak and can't pump the blood out
efficiently, as in cardiomyopathy, the blood begins to back up. It
backs up into the blood vessels in the lungs, increasing the pressure
there.

The right side of the heart continues to pump blood into the already
congested blood vessels in the lungs, further increasing the pressure
there.

This is called "secondary" pulmonary hypertension. (Pulmonary
hypertension can occur from an unknown cause--where the heart is
healthy--this would be called primary pulmonary hypertension.)

In both primary and secondary hypertension, the right ventricle has a
much harder job to do, pumping against a higher pressure in the
pulmonary arteries, and the right ventricle can then become enlarged
and weak as well. Blood then begins to back up into the veins in the
body.

This is already not "brief," so I'll stop here!

Is this what you wanted to know?

Umm--actually, I won't stop there--I want to point out that
"hypertension" as you wrote in your subject line, and "pulmonary
hypertension" as you wrote in your message, are two different things.
I chose to answer the question you asked in the body of your message,
the answer to the other question is different.

Kate McCollough
kate@curiousheart.com
http://www.curiousheart.com

Follow Ups:

• Thanks for the great explanation... what if a drug that dilates the pulmonary artieries could be used? Bryan
  • Answer to: "What if a drug that dilates the pulmonary artieries could be used?" Kate McCollough, RN

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