HEART INVOLVEMENT AND PULMONARY ARTERIAL HYPERTENSION IN PATIENTS WITH SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS

Authors:

Nada Čikeš

Summary

In patients with systemic sclerosis heart involvement is often manifest, associated with poor prognosis and increased mortality. Cardiac involvement may be manifested by myocardial disease, arrhhythmias, conduction system disturbances, pericardial abnormalities and right heart failure, which develops as a complication of pulmonary arterial hypertension and significantly influences the disease progression. Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a severe and progressive disease with significant morbidity and mortality, being more often diagnosed. Diagnostic methods in evaluation of heart involvement as well as pulmonary arterial hypertension are presented. Today’s treatment modalities are discussed.

Sažetak
U bolesnika sa sistemskom sklerozom često je oštećenje srca koje znatno pridonosi lošijoj prognozi bolesti i povećanoj smrtnosti. Zahvaćanje srca može se očitovati kao miokardna bolest, aritmije, smetnje provodnog sustava, perikardno oštećenje te zatajivanje desnog srca koje najčešće nastaje uslijed plućne arterijske hipertenzije te značajno utječe na progresiju bolesti. Plućna arterijska hipertenzija teška je i progresivna bolest sa znatnim morbiditetom i mortalitetom, sve se češće dijagnosticira. Prikazani su dijagnostički postupci u procjeni oštećenja srca i plućne arterijske hipertenzije u bolesnika sa sistemskom sklerozom. Prikazuju se i današnje mogućnosti liječenja.

Vol.: 57

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