Pulmonary hypertension is rare but can be a fatal complication for patients with autoimmune diseases. Dr. Huang Wen-Nan from Taichung Veterans General Hospital explains that pulmonary hypertension occurs when pressure in the pulmonary artery is too high, placing stress on the heart and causing symptoms such as shortness of breath and fatigue due to lack of oxygen.

High-risk groups include patients with connective tissue diseases such as lupus, scleroderma, and rheumatoid arthritis, with a secondary pulmonary hypertension risk of 5&ndash10%. However, early symptoms are often vague, and many patients are diagnosed only after the disease has progressed, leading to poorer treatment outcomes.Common autoimmune diseases include lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. (Image/Heho Health)

Dr. Lai Chih-Hung from Taichung Veterans General Hospital reminds that the five key symptoms of pulmonary hypertension are shortness of breath, coughing, blood (in sputum), swelling, and dizziness&mdashwith shortness of breath being the easiest to detect. If your walking speed is slower than the green man at a crosswalk (0.8 meters per second), you should be cautious.

There is now an online "PK Green Man" screening tool that allows people to self-assess their pulmonary hypertension risk at home. Doctors recommend that high-risk individuals get annual blood tests for cardiac markers and undergo regular echocardiograms. If pulmonary pressure is elevated, a cardiac catheterization should be performed.With the "PK Green Man" online screening tool, patients can assess their potential risk of pulmonary hypertension in just 3 minutes by walking at home. (Image/Heho Health)

Although pulmonary hypertension cannot be cured, early detection and active treatment can slow its progression, improve quality of life, and reduce the risk of serious outcomes.