Sanford Health launches new pulmonary hypertension clinic

Sanford Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic is the first of its kind in South Dakota. The primary goal of this new clinic is to use the combined expertise of the medical team to extend the length and quality of life for pulmonary hypertension patients.

This new service focuses on a multidisciplinary approach consisting of a pulmonologist, a cardiologist, specially trained nurses, respiratory therapists and pharmacists. Sanford Heart cardiologist, Dr. Orvar Jonsson and Sanford Health pulmonologist, Dr. John Yu will lead the members of this multidisciplinary team and review each patient’s individual case to create a specific care plan for each unique case.

Pulmonary hypertension is a disease where high blood pressure attacks the arteries leading from the heart to the lungs. Pulmonary hypertension causes the arteries to narrow, blood flow decreases and the right ventricle is strained. It can be caused by a variety of reasons, the most common being: heart, lung or liver disease, heart disease, blood clots in the lungs, connective tissue disease, exposure to certain drugs or genetically passed. Pulmonary hypertension has no cure but symptoms can be controlled to slow progression of the disease.

The Sanford Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic launches March 5, 2014.