PAH Today Broadcast Series Returns to Help With Managing Disease
September and October talks cover tests given, symptoms that affect whole body
The PAH Today National Broadcast Series, created to help adults and their caregivers in the U.S. cope with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), returns with two discussions for this year.
Presented by the PAH Initiative and sponsored by United Therapeutics, the series offers views on contemporary approaches to managing PAH and its symptoms. Registration is required to participate.
A progressive type of pulmonary hypertension, PAH is characterized by the narrowing of the small blood vessels that carry blood through the lungs. The most frequent initial PAH symptom is severe shortness of breath, which can lead to weakness, fatigue, dizziness, chest pain, and fainting.
“Advancements in the care and treatment of PAH are improving the lives of those impacted by this disease,” a program webpage noted. “The National Broadcast Series includes insights and perspectives on today’s approaches to managing PAH from a nationally recognized PAH healthcare provider. Join patients and caregivers across the nation to hear current considerations in the care of PAH.”
Better PAH Management Goal of September, October talks
These talks, on Saturdays in September and October, will be broadcast nationally:
- Your PAH Tests Explained, Sept. 10, 2–3 p.m. ET. PAH patients undergo a great deal of tests, and they may wonder whether they’re all necessary and, sometimes, repeatedly necessary. This talk will take a close look at some of the most common exams performed for disease diagnosis and ongoing care. Patients and caregivers can learn why such testing is an important part of PAH management and what test results might mean, which, in turn, can promote more helpful discussions with a patient’s healthcare team.
- Your PAH Symptoms Explained, Oct. 8, 2–3 p.m. ET.  People with PAH want to feel better, they want to enjoy and participate more fully in life.  This broadcast will delve into how the changes occurring in the heart and lungs manifest as symptoms affecting the entire body. Patients and caregivers will learn about possible ways to stay on top of symptoms, as well as points to consider bringing to the attention of the medical team if symptoms are not improving.
Each discussion will be led by Lana Melendres-Groves, MD, medical director of the Pulmonary Hypertension Program at the University of New Mexico and an associate professor in the university’s department of internal medicine.
Previous National Broadcast Series discussions covered functional PAH classification, choosing a healthier lifestyle, and how noninvasive assessments via echocardiography can be used to monitor PAH status.
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