Doctors collaborate on pulmonary hypertension
| Printable version | | |
Members of the rheumatology, cardiology, pulmonary and radiology departments at Backus are working together to improve patient care and early diagnosis.
Some conditions, such as rheumatic illness, can cause symptoms that cross into different disciplines, so Harjinder Chowdhary, MD, a rheumatologist at the Arthritis Center in the Backus Outpatient Care Center in Norwich, helped create a pulmonary hypertension program.
Dr. Chowdhary said rheumatic illness can cause inflammation in the lung and pulmonary hypertension. To diagnose and treat these conditions requires a cohesive team that works together on treatment plans. The group meets monthly.
Pulmonary hypertension generally results from constriction, or stiffening, of the pulmonary arteries that supply blood to the lungs.
Consequently, it becomes more difficult for the heart to pump blood forward through the lungs. This stress on the heart leads to enlargement of the right heart and eventually fluid can build up in the liver and other tissues, such as the in the legs.
Cardiologists can diagnose pulmonary hypertension with echocardiograms and rightsided cardiac catheterizations.
To diagnose lung inflammation, a bronchoscopy and lung biopsy would need to be performed.
“We need to diagnose it early and treat it accordingly, so we collaborate with other departments,” Dr. Chowdhary said.
One of his patients has arthritis in her hands and was diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension last year. Her son said until she was 75 she was very healthy, and now at 82 she still lives on her own. She was having trouble breathing and was put on oxygen. After some issues with different medications, she is now on a combination of three medications, which have helped alleviate her symptoms.
“We really appreciate what Dr. Chowdhary and Dr. Olimpia Radu have done. They take their time with her and have been able to put her at ease with a serious condition,” said her son.
Dennis Sullivan, 49, of Griswold, has lung inflammation. It was diagnosed two years ago when he couldn’t even walk across his yard without losing his breath.
“A lung biopsy showed my white blood cells were attacking my lungs,” he said. “I was very fortunate Dr. Chowdhary was not afraid to get opinions from other doctors (such as cardiothoracic surgery and pulmonology.) He is one the best doctors I have ever met in my life.”
Mr. Sullivan then saw Donna Romito, DO, a member of the Backus Medical Staff who specializes in pulmonary and critical care medicine.
“We are trying to create this program with the intention of becoming a local center of excellence for patients with these types of conditions,” Dr. Chowdhary said.