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So I went back to my pulmonary clinic and got more information on diagnosis

A myPHteam Member asked a question 💭
Houston, TX

I don't know if it went good or bad my echo didn't go so well and my blood work is super hopefully and also really abnormal on other things but I asked more questions about the type of pah I have the class and the pressure in my lungs does anyone else have lung pressure at 50 , and class 3 pah of so how long have u been sick and have treatments improved it

April 30
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A myPHteam Member

If the reading came from your echo, then it is a systolic reading which isn't terrible. If the reading came from an RHC, then it could be either...A MEAN of 50 would require immediate attention from your PH Specialist.

When I was first diagnosed my SYSTOLIC was 78 on an echo and 58 on an RHC. (Please note the discrepancy). My MEAN was 35. I am also Class 3. With more aggressive management of my heart failure and significant dietary changes we've brought my MEAN down to in the low to mid 20's...So I've gone from being Moderate in my illness to being between Borderline/Mild to Moderate. (I am PH Group 2 Left Heart Disease, with some overlap into Group 1)

April 30 (edited)
A myPHteam Member

@A myPHteam Member Very important…Is your reading of 50 the Systolic or the Mean? That would make a HUGE difference

April 30
myPHteam

It sounds like you've had a lot to process after your clinic visit — that mix of hopeful and concerning news can feel really overwhelming. It's great that you're asking questions and advocating for yourself though!

Lung pressure at 50 mmHg is notably elevated (normal is under 20 mmHg), and you're not alone in that. A Show Full Answer

It sounds like you've had a lot to process after your clinic visit — that mix of hopeful and concerning news can feel really overwhelming. It's great that you're asking questions and advocating for yourself though!

Lung pressure at 50 mmHg is notably elevated (normal is under 20 mmHg), and you're not alone in that. A myPHteam member shared that their lung pressure was at 45 at diagnosis, which was more than double the acceptable limit — so others are navigating similar territory. Class 3 PAH means symptoms may be mild at rest, but activity brings on significant fatigue and breathlessness. Here's what that classification generally looks like:

- Class 1 – No symptoms at rest or with exercise
- Class 2 – No symptoms at rest, but everyday activities cause shortness of breath
- Class 3 – Activities are greatly limited due to fatigue or breathlessness
- Class 4 – Symptoms even at rest, with possible swelling and fainting

The good news is that treatments have genuinely improved over time. Medications, combination therapies, and close monitoring can help manage symptoms and slow progression. One myPHteam member said that once they learned more about PAH and found the right specialist, it became less frightening — and with the right combination of medications, their outlook improved significantly.

Seeing your specialist every 3 to 6 months to track lung function and adjust treatment is really important at this stage. Keep asking those great questions at your appointments!

April 30

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