What lifestyle modifications should I recommend to patients diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension?

Lifestyle modifications recommended for patients diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension include:

• Smoking cessation: Advise and support patients to stop smoking, as smoking cessation is crucial to optimize lung and cardiovascular health ¹,².
• Engagement in pulmonary rehabilitation: Offer pulmonary rehabilitation programs tailored to individual needs, including physical training, disease education, nutritional, psychological, and behavioral interventions to improve physical and social performance ¹.
• Regular physical activity: Encourage patients to undertake regular, moderate physical activity to improve exercise capacity, starting at a comfortable level and gradually increasing duration and intensity as tolerated ³,⁷.
• Vaccinations: Recommend pneumococcal and annual influenza vaccinations to reduce respiratory infections that can exacerbate pulmonary hypertension ¹.
• Dietary advice: Advise a heart-healthy diet, such as a Mediterranean-style diet rich in fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and healthy fats, to support cardiovascular health ³,⁷.
• Fluid management and oedema control: For patients with cor pulmonale (right heart failure secondary to lung disease), symptomatic oedema can be managed with diuretics as prescribed by clinicians, alongside lifestyle advice ¹.
• Referral and specialist management: Emphasize that pulmonary hypertension requires specialist assessment and management; primary care should focus on lifestyle support and optimization of comorbidities ⁴.