%0 Journal Article %A Christopher Valerio %A Benjamin Schreiber %A Clive Handler %A Christopher Denton %A John Coghlan %T Assessment of pulmonary hypertension in patients over 70 %D 2012 %J European Respiratory Journal %P P935 %V 40 %N Suppl 56 %X BackgroundRecent registry data suggests that the average age of patients with PAH is rising. Pulmonary hypertension affects elderly people and there is increasing prevalence of cardiac and respiratory disease with age.MethodsWe report the findings for 120 consecutive patients aged over 70 referred to a tertiary service during 2008-09 for invasive haemodynamic studies to confirm or exclude a diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension.ResultsFour patients died within 30 days of referral and before being assessed, 15 patients did not undergo cardiac catheterisation. 50% of those assessed had an associated connective tissue disease. 36 patients had resting pulmonary artery pressures <25mmHg, eleven with respiratory and ten with cardiac disease to explain their symptoms. 65 patients were diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension following invasive studies: 19 related to left heart disease, 7 related to chronic lung disease, 7 CTEPH, five mixed aetiology, and 27 PAH. Three patients with idiopathic PAH, one case associated with an atrial septal defect, 23 with connective tissue disease. Follow up log(10)NT-proBNP testing in 24 patients with PAH showed a significant reduction at 12 months (-0.21, p<0.05 students' t-test).ConclusionPulmonary hypertension of all types may be present in older patients. Thorough assessment may provide insight into the drivers of symptoms in older patients and help to guide treatment, which can be successful. %U https://erj.ersjournals.com/content/erj/40/Suppl_56/P935.full.pdf