Electrocardiographic history of pulmonary arterial hypertension – from diagnosis, through pregnancy, to lung transplantation

Abstract

The frequency and nature of electrocardiographic changes in patients with pulmonary hypertension varies significantly depending on the severity of the illness. In mild cases, electrocardiogram (ECG) may be normal. We present the consecutive ECGs of a patient with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in the 5-year course of the disease – from diagnosis to lung transplantation. The described case shows the variability of ECG changes in correlation with the clinical state of the patient. The observed ECG abnormalities in PAH are reversible and in the presented case ECG normalized after lung transplantation.

Keywords

• electrocardiography
• pulmonary arterial hypertension
• right ventricular hypertrophy