right ventricular hypertrophy

Posted By M.C. on November 15, 1998 at 13:53:20:







My son is a former 24 weeker preemie.  He is now 20 mos old.  He was on the ventilator for his first 2 mos of life, and has chronic lung disease (broncho pulmonary displasia).  He has remained on supplemental O2 since he came home when he was 5 1/2 mos old.  about 2 mos ago, he came off of daytime O2, but still requires it for sleep.He is on double strength vanceril (an inhaled steroid)2 puffs, twice a day.  He was started on this medication before  coming off of the daytime O2.  When Gavin was about 8 mos old, he was diagnosed after an ekg with right ventricular hypertrophy.  After a few months it went away, and then returned again, and then went away again.  Before coming off of the daytime O2, he had an echo to make sure it was truly gone.  It was.  About a month ago, he had his first ekg since coming off of daytime O2.  It again shows pulmonary hypertension.  THe doc ordered another ekg, to confirm it, and we wont get the results back for about a week.  My questions are: could I have a clinical definition of what exactly it is--I do have an idea that it is due to poor lung function therefore causing the right ventrical to become enlarged due to it having to overwork..but I would like to have a real definition of it.  Secondly, I realize that it can be treated w/ O2, as a preventitive measure, and depending on the severity of it ( the doctor did not tell me how severe a case it is), but I was wondering what are the other methods of treatment from best to worst case scenario...  Thank You !!