Hi Mohave50. That is true, an echocardiogram can detect PH/PAH but the RVSP, right ventricular systolic pressure, is more accurate on right heart catheterization. That tells you if you are mild, moderate or severe in the progression of this disease as I understand it.

Jocelyn K. My cath was done 2 years ago, no one has mentioned having another one. It was pain free and over in a heartbeat ❤️ Welcome to our family of wonderful people, we are here for you. Tell us more about yourself ❤️🌺

Good morning Jocelynn and welcome to this site. My doctor told me that I won't have another RHC unless my symptoms get much worse. I expect your doctor would order breathing tests and maybe an echocardiogram before doing another cath. Let us know more about your illness. You can document your story so you don't have to repeat it to each of us. Go to the 3 grey bars top right and go to "My Profile" and choose "story". Thanks, ABQ Jane

I have been told over and over that a right heart cath is the definitive way to get all the pressure numbers for a correct diagnosis. I have had two left heart caths and one right heart cath each about 5 years apart. The right heart cath was after an ECHO that showed my pressures were high. I just had another chemical stress test on January 23 and the results were good. My heart is still working well at 70%, so the medicine I take for heart problems is working well. I did ask for a higher dose of Gabapentin as my legs are going dead and it is halfway up my legs. The doctor told me that changing an elderly person's medicine is tricky. He was reluctant to do so and wouldn't. He told me that when the medicine was, to all intents, working well, that changing the dosages could unbalance the combination and work against me. It would be like trying to find the perfect combination all over again. Well, it took me years for them to find the combination I have, so I did not insist. I'm not sure a higher dose would work anyway. I read somewhere that doctors are over prescribing Gabapentin and there are several lawsuits that will go to the Supreme Court. I know that my daughter-in-law was hooked on 1900 mg of Gabapentin for pain. It seems that doctors are giving it for pain to keep from pushing narcotics on patients. It is the latest "fad" medicine or "feel good" medicine to push. I'm anxious to see how the Court decides on this, I'm sure they will order guidelines to limit the abuse of this drug. Or at least I hope so. With the way the world is going, I'm not sure anyone in any position of authority would have that much sense.

Doesn't an echocardiogram show PH? That's how mine was diagnosed.