Exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension common in systemic sclerosis
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) can often become apparent during exercise testing in patients with systemic sclerosis, according to a report in the July issue ofChest. "Pulmonary hypertension in scleroderma is a very serious and deadly complication," Dr. Virginia Steen from Georgetown University, Washington, DC told Reuters Health. "These patients have not responded to treatment as well as other PAH patients, but we have the opportunity to identify patients earlier and get them treated before serious damage to the heart has occurred."