Pulmonary Hypertension in Children

Your child’s pulmonary arteries carry blood that needs oxygen from their heart to their lungs. When they have pulmonary hypertension, their blood flows too forcefully through these arteries. In the long run, high pressure can damage the arteries and makes their heart work harder. It can also trigger complications like unusual heart rhythms and passing out.

Some kids may have no symptoms, while others may have many — even when sitting still. Warning signs are shortness of breath, lack of appetite, chest pain or pressure and fainting. Your child’s upper right belly may ache. And they may have swelling in their ankles, legs and belly. This condition can make it hard for your child to be active or do everyday things.

Pulmonary hypertension in children often starts as a complication from an underlying heart or lung condition. But not always. There are also several different types of pulmonary hypertension. Some can be treated directly. For others, we need to treat the underlying cause.

But no matter what causes it, early treatment of pulmonary hypertension in children is crucial. If left untreated, it can damage their heart and affect their whole body.

Pulmonary Hypertension Evaluation at Cleveland Clinic Children’s

When your child comes to Cleveland Clinic Children’s for care, we’ll make sure they have a highly personalized experience. It all starts with an evaluation with their provider.

What to expect at your child’s first visit

Our evaluations give you, your child and their provider a chance to get to know each other. Listening and understanding their story is important to confirming their initial diagnosis. So don’t be surprised if their provider asks a lot of questions like:

• What kind of symptoms have you noticed?
• How long has your child had these symptoms?
• How have these symptoms affected your child?
• What kind of tests has your child already had?
• Has your child been diagnosed with any heart or lung conditions?
• Does anyone in your family have heart or lung conditions?

During this appointment, your child’s provider will do a physical exam, including:

• Listening to their heart and lungs with a stethoscope.
• Checking their blood pressure.
• Measuring the oxygen level in their blood.
• Looking for swelling in their belly, ankles and legs.
• Looking for bulging neck veins — a visible sign of right-sided heart problems.

Testing to uncover the cause

Your child may also have tests to help us confirm a diagnosis — and discover what’s causing their pulmonary hypertension. Our team may do tests like:

• Complete blood count.
• Complete metabolic panel.
• Chest CT scan.
• Chest X-ray.
• Cardiac catheterization.
• Echocardiogram (Echo).
• VQ scan.

Meet Our Pulmonary Hypertension in Children Team

Cleveland Clinic Children’s team-based approach to care means that we make sure your child sees the providers from the specialties they need. We build their care team based on their unique needs with providers like:

• Pediatric cardiologists.
• Pediatric interventional cardiologists.
• Pediatric pulmonologists.
• Pediatric hematologists.
• Pediatric otolaryngologists (ENTs).
• Child life specialists.

Treatment for your child’s pulmonary hypertension depends on the type and any other medical conditions they may have. Their care team will go over the best options for your child’s care.

To treat some types of pulmonary hypertension directly, we may recommend:

• Medications to lower pulmonary artery pressure, reduce swelling, slow disease progression and prevent blood clots.
• Oxygen therapy to improve breathing.
• Procedures to widen their pulmonary artery or remove blood clots.

If an underlying heart or lung condition is causing your child’s pulmonary hypertension, we’ll focus on managing that condition. This may include:

• Medications to manage pulmonary artery pressure or heart failure.
• Oxygen therapy.
• Surgery to repair problems in their heart and lungs.

Taking the Next Step

Finding out your child has pulmonary hypertension may turn your world upside down. You may worry about their quality of life, and if they’ll be OK. It can be a stressful time. But you don’t have to navigate any of what lies ahead alone. Cleveland Clinic Children’s has the support and innovative treatments you and your child need. Our team will help you understand what’s going on — and feel comfortable moving ahead with your little one’s treatment.