Pulmonary Hypertension in Heart Failure Patients Presenting at OAUTHC, Ile-Ife, Nigeria

BACKGROUND Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is common in heart failure patients. Literature on PH in heart failure is sparse in Nigeria. This study was carried out to determine the prevalence of PH in heart failure patients and ascertain the relationship between left ventricular systolic and diastolic function and the degree of PH. METHODS A total of 125 heart failure patients had echocardiography done. PH was diagnosed using tricuspid regurgitation jet and pulmonary ejection jet profile. RESULTS PH was present in 70.4% of heart failure patients. Estimated mean pulmonary arterial pressure increased with increasing severity of systolic and diastolic dysfunction and had significantly negative correlation with ejection fraction, fractional shortening, and early mitral annular tissue diastolic velocity (E'), but positive correlation with left ventricular end-systolic volume, right ventricular dimension, transmitral E to A ratio, and E/E' ratio. CONCLUSION PH is very common in heart failure and has significant relationship with left ventricular function.