الفهرس 
INTRODUCTIONOnly 14 pages are availabe for public view
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Abstract
COPD is a major public health problem; COPD is now the fourth (4th) leading cause of death in the world. COPD is better defined as a clinical syndrome characterized by chronic respiratory symptoms, structural pulmonary abnormalities, lung function impairment, or any combination of these.
COPD patients are, for a long time, in a state of hypoxia and acidosis leading to increased PVR, thus resulting in PH. PH is considered as one of the main complications of COPD. There is strong correlation between COPD and PH, PH in COPD patients is predictive of hospitalization for acute exacerbation.
PH defined by the ESC/ERS guidelines as an increase in the m PAP at rest >25 mmHg by RHC. Patients with COPD are classified into three groups:
COPD without PH: PAP <25mmHg,
COPD with PH: PAP ≥25mmHg (with supplemental O2 if needed),
COPD with severe PH: PAP ≥35mmHg (with supplemental O2 if needed)
Severe PH in COPD could be defined as PAP ≥40mmHg. This level of PH is considered to be out of proportion in COPD patients investigated during a stable state of the disease.
The exact prevalence of PH in COPD patients is unknown and varies from 20-91%. The prevalence of PH in COPD (COPD-PH) is dependent on the severity of the disease, but also on the definition of PH and the method used to measure it.
PH in chronic lung disease