Pulmonary hypertension surveillance--United States, 1980-2002.

Abstract

Increases in mortality from and hospitalization for pulmonary hypertension might reflect increased physician awareness and changes in diagnosing and reporting this chronic disease. Although pulmonary hypertension historically has been considered a disease of women of childbearing age, it affects all ages and racial populations. Older women represent the majority of patients and decedents with this condition. More research is needed concerning cause, prevention, and treatment of pulmonary hypertension. Public health initiatives should include increasing physician awareness that early detection is needed to initiate prompt, effective disease management. Additional epidemiologic initiatives also are needed to ascertain prevalence and incidence of various pulmonary hypertension disease entities such as pulmonary arterial hypertension.