Mild PH?

[meg686]

I had an echo and it showed an RVSP of 35 mmHg.  The report stated mild pulmonary hypertension.  I have no symptoms.  I am a 30-year-old female athlete.  Should I be worried?

[kenkeith]

Some added information I just read:

Mild valvular regurgitation is seen on many echocardiograms and is considered a normal variant.  The pulmonary artery pressure is indirectly calculated on an echo based on the degree of TR, so since you had mild TR, it was concluded that you have mildly elevated pulmonary artery pressures.  However, if you have no symptoms and the rest of your echo was normal, I would presume that nothing is wrong.

I don't believe you have anything that should be of medical concern especially with a strong heart and no symtoms.  .

[kenkeith]

There could be an error because there is pulmonic insuffiency (regurgitation). And I believe that condition has a role for calculating RVSP.
If grade 1+ : Spectral tracing stains sufficiently for detection, but not enough for clear delineation. May not have an accurate reading!

Or, Grade 2+ : Complete spectral tracing can just be seen•Normal : 18 to 25 mm Hg
•Mild : 30 to 40 mmHg
•Moderate : 40 to 70 mm Hg
•Severe : >70 mmHg
•Secondary Pulmonary Hypertension
◦Parenchymal disease of the lung, (COPD, cor pulmonale)
◦Mitral stenosis
◦Mitral regurgitation ha some significance!?

Also, consider that a mean calculation can be lower than the sole reading on the report.

Hope this helps.  Take care,

Ken

[meg686]

Thank you for the reply,Ken.  
  My left and right ventricles are normal in size and function.  My EF is 65%.  I have no plural effusion, and trace tricuspid regurgitation and trace pulmonic insufficiency.  Other than the RVSP being elevated, my echo seems somewhat normal.  Do you think that the RVSP is most likely mis-calculated?

~Meg

[kenkeith]

RVSP is right ventrical systole pressure.  The RV is the chamber that pumps blood to the lungs to be oxygenated.  The pressure rises if the right ventricle is pumping against higher than normal resistence.  The higher resistence can be due to a narrowing (possibly a clot, thrombosis) of the vessel (pulmonary artery) that goes from the right ventricle to the lung, and or the lungs present a higher than normal resistence due to emboli (blood clots), etc.

Systolic pressure higher than 35 mmHG is an abnormal elevation and should involve further examination for the underlying cause. If RVSP is associated with connective tissue disease such as scleroderma that would be serious.

Hope this provides a perspective and helps you engage in meaningful consultation with your doctor. Take care, and I wish you well going forward.

Ken