Haemodynamic definitions of pulmonary hypertension
Definition | Haemodynamic characteristics |
PH | mPAP >20 mmHg |
Pre-capillary PH | mPAP >20 mmHg PAWP ≤15 mmHg PVR >2 WU |
IpcPH | mPAP >20 mmHg PAWP >15 mmHg PVR ≤2 WU |
CpcPH | mPAP >20 mmHg PAWP >15 mmHg PVR >2 WU |
Exercise PH | mPAP/CO slope between rest and exercise >3 mmHg/L/min |
CO, cardiac output; CpcPH, combined post- and pre-capillary pulmonary hypertension; IpcPH, isolated post-capillary pulmonary hypertension; mPAP, mean pulmonary arterial pressure; PAWP, pulmonary arterial wedge pressure; PH, pulmonary hypertension; PVR, pulmonary vascular resistance; WU, Wood units. Some patients present with elevated mPAP (>20 mmHg) but low PVR (≤2 WU) and low PAWP (≤15 mmHg); this haemodynamic condition may be described by the term ‘unclassified PH’ (see text for further details).