Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month Draws Attention to Life-Threatening, Often Misdiagnosed Disease with Daily Facts

SILVER SPRING, Md., Oct. 21, 2020 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month Draws Attention to Life-Threatening, Often Misdiagnosed Disease with Daily Facts

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association's Discover PH campaign strives to educate others about the disease.

Each November, the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) launches a national campaign to raise awareness about pulmonary hypertension (PH). The progressive rare disease is defined by high blood pressure in the lungs and can cause right-heart failure and death.

This year, Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month focuses on educating people about risk factors and symptoms through an interactive PH Awareness Month calendar. The calendar reveals a new fact or tool daily, along with downloadable resources to raise awareness of PH.

Although it is not known exactly how many people are affected, PH is a contributing factor to more than 18,000 adult deaths in the U.S. every year. It can occur among those with left-heart disease, associated conditions such as sleep apnea, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or scleroderma, or from congenital heart disease. It affects people of any age.

The disease is significantly underdiagnosed and misunderstood, even among health care providers. Symptoms, including shortness of breath, fatigue and chest pain, are not necessarily specific to PH and can lead to dangerous delays in a correct diagnosis. While PH is incurable, early diagnosis and proper treatment can extend and improve an individual's quality of life.

"It's critical for us to raise awareness of this rare and life-threatening disease," said Colleen Brunetti, M.Ed., C.H.C., PHA Board of Trustees chair, who was diagnosed with PH in 2008. "Educating patients, families, the medical community and policymakers about the symptoms, treatments and challenges of living with PH is essential to improving outcomes and quality of life."

PHA's outreach during November includes social media, advocacy and educational components such as Facebook Live events with PH experts to drive awareness among those at risk for PH. More information about PH, the campaign and how to spread awareness can be found at: http://www.phassociation.org/awarenessmonth.

PHA is grateful for the sponsorship support provided by Actelion Pharmaceutical U.S., Inc. for Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month.

About the Pulmonary Hypertension Association
Headquartered in Silver Spring, Md., the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) is the country's oldest and largest nonprofit patient association dedicated to the pulmonary hypertension (PH) community. Pulmonary hypertension is a rare, chronic and life-threatening disease of the lungs for which no cure currently exists. PHA's mission is to extend and improve the lives of those affected by PH. To achieve this mission, PHA engages people with PH and their families, caregivers, health care providers, and researchers worldwide who work together to advocate for the PH community, provide support to patients, caregivers and families, offer up-to-date education and information on PH, improve quality patient care, and fund and promote research. For more information, visit http://www.PHAssociation.org and connect with PHA on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Contact:
PHA Communications
[email protected]

SOURCE Pulmonary Hypertension Association