A study published in Pulmonary Circulation evaluated the association between pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) diagnosis and risk of newly diagnosed mental health conditions.
PAH is a rare condition affecting the heart and lungs, characterized by abnormally high blood pressure (hypertension) in the pulmonary artery. Symptoms include shortness of breath during exercise and fainting spells. The symptoms tend to get worse over time and may include dizziness, edema of the ankles or legs, chest pain, and a racing pulse. Some cases of PAH are due to genetic changes in the BMPR2 gene. It can also occur secondary to underlying conditions such as connective tissue diseases, HIV infection, chronic hemolytic anemia, and congenital heart disease, or be induced by certain drugs and toxins.
The diagnostic journey of PAH often involves frequent delays and misdiagnoses that contribute to uncertainty, frustration, and psychological strain. Once diagnosed, patients also face uncertainty in regards to prognosis and lifelong treatment. The psychological burden of these factors may be related to high incidence of depression and anxiety observed in patients with PAH.
This retrospective cohort study used Komodo Research Data to identify adults with PAH as well as a non-PAH control group. Among 4,005 patients with PAH, the risks of newly diagnosed mental health conditions were compared before and after their PAH diagnosis date.
Post-diagnosis, the 12-month risk of any newly diagnosed mental health condition was 48.1%, nearly doubled compared with pre-diagnosis at 24.9%. Post-diagnosis risks were also higher for sleep-wake (27.1% vs 11.5%), anxiety-spectrum (11.4% vs 8.4%), mood (9.7% vs 6.0%), and opioid use disorders (1.5% vs 0.7%). Compared with matched controls, PAH patients had higher risks of any mental health condition (39.5% vs 17.8%), anxiety (10.1% vs 6.5%), mood (8.7% vs 5.3%), and substance use disorders (5.2% vs 3.4%).
In summary, increases in newly diagnosed mental health conditions were observed in adults with PAH after disease onset. These patients were also at significantly higher risk than matched non-PAH controls. The data supports routine mental health screening and integrated, proactive mental health care in the management of PAH.
To learn more about PAH and other rare lung conditions, visit https://checkrare.com/diseases/lung-diseases/