ANMCO/SIC Consensus statement on pulmonary arterial hypertension = Documento di consenso ANMCO/SIC sull’ipertensione arteriosa polmonare

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a frequent pathological condition worldwide, mainly secondary to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, with a poor prognosis. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare form that affects the arterial pulmonary vasculature. PH and PAH are characterized by non-specific symptoms and a progressive increase of pulmonary vascular resistance that results in progressive, sometimes irreversible, right ventricular dysfunction. In recent years, a growing medical and social commitment on this disease allowed more accurate diagnosis in shorter times. However, the gap between guidelines and clinical practice remains a challenge for all medical doctors involved in the disease management. Considering the needs to share and describe diagnostic and therapeutic pathways, to measure the results obtained and to address the economical and organizational problems of this disease, all involved figures should collaborate to improve its prognostic impact and health expense...

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a frequent pathological condition worldwide, mainly secondary to cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, with a poor prognosis. Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a rare form that affects the arterial pulmonary vasculature. PH and PAH are characterized by non-specific symptoms and a progressive increase of pulmonary vascular resistance that results in progressive, sometimes irreversible, right ventricular dysfunction. In recent years, a growing medical and social commitment on this disease allowed more accurate diagnosis in shorter times. However, the gap between guidelines and clinical practice remains a challenge for all medical doctors involved in the disease management. Considering the needs to share and describe diagnostic and therapeutic pathways, to measure the results obtained and to address the economical and organizational problems of this disease, all involved figures should collaborate to improve its prognostic impact and health expenses. In this consensus document, the PH experts of the Italian Association of Hospital Cardiologists (ANMCO) together with those of the Italian Society of Cardiology (SIC), address 1) definition, classification and unmet needs of PH and PAH; 2) classification and characteristics of centers involved in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease; 3) proposal of organization of a diagnostic-therapeutic pathway, based on robust and recent scientific evidence.

L’ipertensione polmonare (IP) è una patologia frequente in tutto il mondo, nella maggior parte dei casi secondaria a malattie cardiovascolari e respiratorie, con una prognosi infausta. L’ipertensione arteriosa polmonare (IAP) è una forma rara che colpisce il sistema vascolare arterioso polmonare. IP e IAP sono caratterizzate da sintomi aspecifici e da un progressivo aumento delle resistenze vascolari polmonari che determina disfunzione ventricolare destra, talvolta irreversibile. Negli ultimi anni, il crescente impegno dei sanitari e delle istituzioni ha consentito diagnosi più accurate in tempi più brevi. Tuttavia, il divario tra le linee guida e la pratica clinica rimane una sfida per tutti gli specialisti coinvolti nella gestione della malattia. Considerando la necessità di condividere e descrivere percorsi diagnostici e terapeutici, di valutare i risultati ottenuti e di affrontare i costi e le problematiche organizzative prodotte da questa malattia, tutte le figure coinvolte dovrebbero collaborare per migliorarne l’impatto prognostico e la spesa sanitaria. In questo documento di consenso, gli esperti dell’Associazione Nazionale Medici Cardiologi Ospedalieri (ANMCO) e della Società Italiana di Cardiologia (SIC) sull’IP affrontano 1) definizione, classificazione e bisogni insoddisfatti dell’IP e IAP; 2) classificazione e caratteristiche dei centri coinvolti nella diagnosi e cura della malattia; 3) proposta di organizzazione di un percorso diagnostico-terapeutico, basato su robuste e recenti evidenze scientifiche.