Can pulmonary hypertension be cured?

There is no cure for pulmonary hypertension. Getting diagnosed and treatment as early as possible can help slow down the condition. The care team will help you manage your child’s symptoms so he can still go to school and do things he enjoys.

How do doctors treat pulmonary hypertension?

Treatment focuses on managing your child’s symptoms. The care team will talk with you about which treatments are right for your child.

Treatments can include:

  • Inhaled oxygen to help your child breathe easier
  • Inhaled nitrous oxide (NO), a gas that relaxes the narrowed blood vessels in the heart and lungs
  • Diuretics (water pills) to get rid of extra fluid in the body
  • Blood thinners to lower your child’s risk of blood clots (when blood is sticky and forms clumps)
  • Medications to relax the blood vessels and help blood flow more easily throughout the body (such as iloprost, sildenafil and ambrisentan)
  • In rare cases, a heart or lung transplant
  • If the doctor is not sure of the cause, it is called idiopathic pulmonary hypertension.
Rev. 3/2018. Reviewed by the MGfC Family Advisory Council. This webpage is intended to provide health information so that you can be better informed. It is not a substitute for medical advice and should not be used to treatment of any medical conditions.