Pulmonary Hypertension Due to Left Heart Disease—Combine or Not Combined? DPG In or Out? A Practical Approach to the Patient With Suspected Left Heart Disease

Abstract

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) due to left heart disease (LHD) is the most common cause of PH in clinical practice. The definition and classification of PH-LHD has evolved in the last 5 years from the 5th World Symposium on PH (WSPH) in 2013 to the most recent 6th WSPH in 2018. Differentiation of PH-LHD, especially PH due to heart failure with preserved ejection from pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic PH, can be very challenging. Finally, there is unclarity on the role of pulmonary vasodilators in the treatment of PH-LHD. The 6th WSPH consensus proceedings addresses all these topics in a detailed manner. In this article, we review the changes proposed by the 6th WSPH consensus proceedings in the definition, classification, diagnostic evaluation, and treatment of PH-LHD.