Seeing a PAH specialist
If you or your regular doctor think you might have PAH, it’s best to get a referral to a lung doctor or PAH specialist. They’re experts in diagnosing this condition. You can find a list of specialist centres on the Pulmonary Hypertension Society website. Even if you had tests done somewhere else first, a PAH specialist should still look after your ongoing care.
Diagnostic testing
Diagnosing PAH can be challenging. Doctors use several tests to make sure it’s not something else. Here are some of the tests they might use:
- Electrocardiography (ECG): This test checks your heart’s electrical activity. They put some sticky patches on your skin
- Echocardiogram (echo): This is a special type of ultrasound that uses sound waves to take pictures of your heart
- Ventilation/perfusion (V/Q) scan: This scan looks at how well blood and air are moving in your lungs
- Lung function tests (breathing tests): These check how well your lungs are working and are used for comparison between each visit. They also look at how much oxygen is in your blood and how well your lungs move air around. There’s also a test where you walk for six minutes to see how well you do. This helps doctors keep track of any changes to your condition
Right heart catheterisation: This safe and painless test measures the pressure in your heart and lungs. It’s usually needed to confirm a PAH diagnosis.
Other tests you might have
There are other tests you might have too:
- Chest X-ray: This takes pictures of your lungs and everything around them
- Blood tests: Blood tests aren’t used to show if you have PAH, but they can help doctors rule out other things or find out why you’re having certain symptoms
- CT scan: This is like a super detailed X-ray that takes lots of pictures of your lungs and the stuff around them.
Helpful resources
PH, PAH & CTEPH: Diagnoses & differences
In this video, Dr Hayley Barnes (Respiratory Physician, Alfred Health) answers commonly
Women’s health and pulmonary hypertension
Join Lung Foundation Australia and Dr Rachel Cordina (Clinic Academic Cardiologist) for
Making decisions about your pulmonary arterial hypertension treatment
In this video Cardiologist A/Prof Rachael Cordina discuss the importance of being
Overview of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension (CTEPH)
Dr. John Feenstra, Lead Physician of the Pulmonary Hypertension service at the
Pulmonary arterial hypertension patient charter
The Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) Patient Charter outlines the standards of holistic
Living with pulmonary arterial hypertension (booklet)
The living with pulmonary arterial hypertension booklet is designed to provide people
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