[Clinical and hemodynamic diagnosis in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension]

Abstract

Diagnosis of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is based on the clinical picture, the presence of obstructive lesions in the pulmonary arteries and hemodynamic evaluation. The diagnostic process encompasses distinct elements ranging from clinical suspicion to definitive confirmation through complex examinations including angiography and pulmonary hemodynamic studies. Patients with an established diagnosis of CTEPH should be evaluated for pulmonary endarterectomy, requiring additional studies and multidisciplinary assessment, which should be performed in centers with experience of this type of surgery. The present article reviews the procedures used to establish the diagnosis of CTEPH, as well as the procedures that allow candidates for surgical treatment of this disease to be identified.