My mother has pulmonary hypertension. She also tested ...

Rayon,

In order to answer you correctly, I need a little more information.

Why does your mother have pulmonary hypertension -- Does she have COPD or emphysema?

The pulmonary hypertension was the result of bi-lateral pulmonary emboli. She was having a revisional surgery on a knee replacement. Post-op she had a bleed in the knee so the doctor took her off blood thinners temporarily and then came the clots. This happened in 2005 and since then the hypertension has worsened. If she stands up and tries to walk at all now her O2 saturation drops to 75%, and that's with 6 liters of oxygen 24/7. She's trying a new drug now (Letaris, not sure if I spelled it right) in an attempt to at least slow the progression of the hypertension. Her pulmonolgist at Vanderbilt University recently had her tested for shunting which apparently she has. I need to understand if there is a treatment for shunting and it's impact on the hypertension.

Okay, much more information for me to work on, thanks.

What has happened is that when she had the blood clots, there was probably permanent lung damage. This part of the lung doesn't work any more. Thus, the blood goes there, but doesn't get any oxygen because the lung tissue in that area is essentially dead. So now the blood leaves the lung without picking up enough oxygen. This would explain why her oxygen level is so low. The pulmonary hypertension is merely a reflection of how much pressure exists in the lung's blood flow due to the lung damage.

Letaris can lower the blood pressure in the lung, thereby making the strain on the heart a little less. (The heart has to work hard to push blood through the lung in a patient with pulmonary hypertension). With less strain on the heart, in theory, the patient should be able to breathe better and it could delay the onset of heart failure.

There is really nothing else your pulmonologist can do. Her heart will eventually give out due to the strain on it and the constant compesation it needs to perform due to the low oxygen.

I suppose she could possibly consider a heart & lung transplant, but that's a conversation for your mom and her doctor.

Regards...

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So is the shunting simply dead lung tissue? I had been informed, erroneously apparently, that there was a treatment out there for shunting.

Regarding the Letaris, she just started it last week. You said "in theory" in your reply. I take it the success rate with Letaris is less than stellar? I do know it's quite rough on the system. At some point will the side effects out weigh the lower blood pressure in the lungs?

I will post another question if you want and pay another $15 or more for this question... But I've got to know this as I do not live near my mother and I want to make the most out of the time we have left. She has already had this for two years now and recent months have shown a marked decline in her activity capabilities. Based on what I've told you so far, how much time do we honestly have?

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