A 73-year-old man with primary pulmonary hypertension

Abstract

A rare case of primary pulmonary hypertension was observed in a 73-year-old man. Angina pectoris was diagnosed at the age of 67 and he received several percutaneous coronary interventions because of refractory restenosis. He also had coronary artery bypass surgery at the age of 69. After 4 years, he again suffered from dyspnea and chest pain upon physical exertion. On admission to our hospital, a chest radiograph showed dilatation of bilateral pulmonary arteries. Moreover, echocardiography showed right ventricular dilatation and tricuspid regurgitation. Continuous wave Doppler imaging revealed a pressure gradient of 82.1 mmHg. Pulmonary capillary wedge pressure was normal, but pulmonary artery pressure was elevated upon cardiac catheterization. Because there was no apparent etiology of pulmonary hypertension, primary pulmonary hypertension was diagnosed and appropriate conventional therapy was started.