It is difficult to diagnose pulmonary hypertension at an early stage as it is usually not detected by a physical examination. When the condition reaches an advanced stage, the symptoms and signs are similar to various health issues related to the lungs and the heart.

In order to diagnose the condition, the doctor may evaluate the person’s family and medical history, discuss the symptoms and signs of the conditions, and carry out a physical examination. These various tests can also help determine the severity of pulmonary hypertension, as well as its causes.

Causes and risk factors for pulmonary hypertension include the following:

1. Heart malfunctioning
The heart has two sides separated by the septum, and while the right side is responsible for pumping blood into the lungs, the left side of the heart receives the oxygen-rich blood from the lungs and pumps it to the rest of the body. In the case of any problem with the left side of the heart, it will lead to blood not being pumped to the body adequately. This will then force the right side of the heart to work harder to pump the blood through the lungs. As a result of this, the pulmonary arteries experience an increase in the pressure of the blood flowing through it, ultimately causing pulmonary hypertension.

2. Lack of oxygen in the body
One may also develop a type of pulmonary hypertension due to a consistent lack of oxygen due to a lung condition. Disease such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, obstructive sleep apnea and interstitial lung diseases like pulmonary fibrosis can bring down the level of oxygen that enters a person’s lungs and when this happens, the pulmonary arteries start becoming narrower. This will, in turn, increase the blood pressure in the lungs. There is also a chance of direct damage being caused to the blood vessels in case the person is suffering from these lung diseases.

3. Blood clots
Blood clots are another cause or risk factor for pulmonary hypertension. This type of the condition is known as chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. It occurs in the cases where the pulmonary embolism or blood clots start to block the blood flowing through the arteries, making the blood pressure in the lungs increase. These clots mostly start to dissolve when the anticoagulant drugs are administered to the person; however, there are rare circumstances wherein this does not happen and instead scar-like tissue gets formed that eventually blocks the flow of the blood.

4. Other conditions
Pulmonary hypertension can also develop in an individual due to unclear multifactorial mechanisms such as disorders related to the blood, systemic disorders, diseases like glycogen storage diseases where the cellular chemistry is not normal, metabolic disorders, as well as tumors that obstruct the flow of the blood through the lungs.