Valentine Group Health
Lea Ann Matura, PhD, RN
University of Pennsylvania
School of Nursing
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
Background:
Dr. Matura is an Assistant Professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania. Prior to her academic career, Dr. Matura had experience as a staff nurse and nurse practitioner in the areas of cardiac and critical care. She is interested in understanding the biological basis of symptoms and how symptoms affect people’s functioning and their quality of life.
Overview:
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a devastating disease characterized by elevated mean pulmonary artery pressures (PAP) that ultimately leads to right heart failure and death. Approximately 100,000 people are living with PAH worldwide. Life expectancy is 6-7 years with treatment. PAH affects mostly women (80%) with a mean ago of diagnosis of 50 years. Common symptoms include shortness of breath at rest, swelling of hands/feet, chest pain, dizziness, cough and abdominal bloating.
3 Key Points:
1. Listen to your Body: Signs and symptoms of pulmonary arterial hypertension can be illusive and require that you pay attention to symptoms that do not respond to initial treatments for disorders such as asthma and heart disease.
2. Practice Self Advocacy. Get the correct diagnosis. You may need to seek a pulmonary specialist for symptoms that linger.
3. Improve life expectancy and quality of life through active participation in treatment that will manage the symptoms
