Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in A 14 Year Old Girl:
Diagnostic Challenges and Management
Abstract
Pulmonary hypertension carries a high morbidity and mortality especially when presentation occurs late. Due to its subtle manner of presentation and high cost of care, diagnosis is often delayed and treatment is beyond the reach of most affected Nigerians. A 15-year-old girl who presented with easy fatigability of 2 years duration and dypnoea on exertion of 3-weeks duration. She had features of systemic and pulmonary congestion on examination. An echocardiogram done revealed supra-systemic pulmonary pressure with a massively dilated and poorly functional right ventricle. A large secundum ASD with bidirectional flow of blood was also noted. She was commenced on anti-failure regimen and treatment for pulmonary hypertension. Due to high cost of care, combination therapy for pulmonary hypertension could not be sustained and patient eventually succumbed to the illness.
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