Approach to the hospitalized patient with pulmonary arterial hypertension

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Hospitalization in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients is an important clinical worsening event significantly associated with subsequent mortality. Furthermore, irrespective of the cause of hospitalization, the overall outcome is closely related to the severity of the right ventricular (RV) dysfunction. Therefore, understanding the pathophysiology of pulmonary hypertension and RV failure is paramount in successfully managing PAH patients requiring hospitalization. This review highlights diagnostic and therapeutic approaches in various clinical scenarios that might be encountered during hospitalization of the World Health Organization group I PAH patient. RECENT FINDINGS: This article covers recent literature describing risk factors, predictors of outcome and state-of the art management approach to a hospitalized PAH patients with a special focus on management of RV failure and common complications in PAH requiring hospitalization. SUMMARY: The review highlights the importance of multidisciplinary approach to a hospitalized PAH patient and highlight important implications in clinical practice and knowledge gaps for potential future research.