??Pulmonary Hypertension

I am a physiotherapist and have had a productive cough on and off for 4 months (although otherwise I feel very well) so went to my GP and had a chest x-ray and full blood count done. My GP told me my chest x-ray was clear and gave me my 3rd course of antibiotics (I think the other courses of antibiotics did work, but then I picked up another infection and then the cough just hasn't gone) I still have the cough productive of small amounts of dirty sputum (3 weeks later) which I think is becoming less. I then checked my results on the computer at work and saw that the radiologist report on my chest x-ray had said "lung fields clear, but borderline prominence of pulmonary arteries" I asked the doctors at work who said that is a sign of pulmonary hypertension but that I wouldn't have it and not to worry about it. I have since researched pulmonary hypertension and have read that cocaine and amphetamine use can lead to it. I have been using cocaine and amphetamines fairly regularly for the past 8 months and so this has scared me. Also, my blood count showed my red blood cells were slightly below the normal level but my Hb was normal. So I don't think this is relevant, nor does it sound like my cough is related to the thickening of the pulmonary arteries. What should I do? Obviously more investigations are necessary but I am a little scared about having my drug use on my record and whether this could lead to my being fired. I have stopped using the drugs now and don't plan on using them ever again. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. (prognosis, treatment etc)

[National Jewish]

Pulmonary hypertension is high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries.  Anyone can develop pulmonary hypertension.  It is now known that pulmonary hypertension is more common than was realized in the past.  It is often due to chronic recurrent clots to the lung that go undiscovered for a long time.

You may not have pulmonary hypertension.  Having "borderline prominence" of the pulmonary arteries on a chest x-ray does not mean that you have pulmonary hypertension.  An echocardiogram would be the test to determine this.

There is a weak connection between cocaine and pulmonary hypertension.  However cocaine can also cause a cough.  So do not assume that pulmonary hypertension is the cause of your cough.  Stopping the use of cocaine and amphetamines was the right thing to do.  You should stick with your decision to not use them ever again.