What is the WHO functional class? The World Health Organization (WHO) functional class describes how severe a patient’s pulmonary hypertension (PH) symptoms are.2 There are four different classes – I is the mildest and IV the most severe form of PH.

There are four functional classes that are used to rate how ill PH patients are. Currently, the World Health Organization or WHO class system is used to describe these patients. It is important to distinguish WHO functional class from WHO group.

Results from the meta-analysis of RCTs indicated that PAH medications reduced the risk of morbidity and mortality by 35%–40% in patients with FC I or II PAH, which was comparable to the effect of medical therapy for patients in FC III or IV.

There are five broad groups of pulmonary hypertension. Each of these groups is subdivided into smaller groups. 1. Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension. 2. Pulmonary Hypertension due to left heart disease. 3. Pulmonary Hypertension due to lung disease. 4. Pulmonary Hypertension due to blood clots in the lungs. 5.

There are several types of PAH. Idiopathic PAH is PAH that occurs without a clear cause. Heritable PAH (HPAH is linked to genes that are inherited from family members.

This review focuses on the therapeutic management and individualized approach to Group 1 pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), utilizing Food and Drug Administration-approved PAH-specific therapies and various interventional and surgical options for PAH. The paradigm for the optimal management of PAH has shifted in recent years.

We suggest that the severity of a PAH patient’s disease be evaluated in a systematic and consistent manner, using a combination of WHO FC, exercise capacity, echocardiographic, laboratory and hemodynamic variables in order to inform therapeutic decisions (Ungraded consensus-based statement).

6 days ago · It is a critical element of the assessment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Functional classification is strongly predictive of mortality, [1] and is an important factor in the choice of PAH therapy.

Aug 24, 2021 · The PH-FC-SR includes patient-appropriate language, symptoms, and physical activity impacts relevant to patients with PAH. Future research is recommended to validate the PH-FC-SR and explore its correlation with the physician-assessed WHO-FC and other outcomes.

Patients with pulmonary hypertension resulting in a slight limitation of physical activity. They are comfortable at rest. Ordinary physical activity causes undue dyspnea or fatigue, chest pain or near syncope. Patients with pulmonary hypertension resulting in marked limitation of physical activity. They are comfortable at rest.