Ok, my dad has been diagnosed with secondary pulmonary hypertention. He is in the hospital weekly for his breathing, and water retention etc... Needless to say, the hospital helps for about four days, then he is back to square one gaining water, shortness of breath, on his oxygen (which is not helping really at all), and on his bi-pap. He is now sleeping 20 + hrs a day. About a week ago he started complaining about a stiff neck like he slept wrong. But it has gotten worse, much worseNow the pain is all the way down the back of his neck, into his head causing a major headache. He is having problems swallowing anything. He is having blackouts and passing out because of lack of oxygen. His air intake rate today was at 77 at a couple of points. He is on numerous meds from the docs, and the hospital, but nothing is helping. The only thing that seems to help is the bi-pap, and staying asleep. And that's just very little. He has now gained over 35 lbs in the past couple or few weeks in water retention. And all of this though not as proggressed has occured since Feb 2005. Just over the past 2 or 3 months have things progressed to this extent. And much much worse over the course of the past month. His Doctor is dragging for doing anything, and won't tell us anything. Does anyone know where this stands. My mom and I are terrified to go to bed at night. I am scared to death that I am gonna get that phone call from my mom any minute. Should I hurry and fly to be there now or does he have some hope left? Please someone tell me what this is, if this is the very end stages of SPH or what it is for levels of it. We are really scared. Thank you.

Usually SPH is due to the failure of the heart to adequately pump out the amount of blood it receives and this will cause fluids to back up into the lungs and other parts of the body. This condition will compromise one's breathing, increase weight, etc. The pain may in part be due to not enough oxygen-rich blood flowing through the coronary ateries.

The treatment should be medication to eliminate the fluids and the success will also depend on proper functioning kidneys. Dialysis may be the option for poor kidneys.

If the problem is symptomatic of CHF, there is medication to lighten the afterload and contractility of the heart to improve the output.

Successful treatment for SPH is to get the underlying problem under control in the early stages to slow or stop the progression. When PH and CHF patients fails to respond to teatment, the patient will be comforted with medication. Consideration for continuing on depends on the patients general physical and mental health, age, care, etc.