• Khalid Gaber, Osama Elfaitouri, Sherif Hassi, Osama Embaig, and Shawg Najem.
• Chest. 2014 Mar 1;145(3 Suppl):516A.

Session TitlePulmonary Hypertension Posters IISESSION TYPE: Poster PresentationsPRESENTED ON: Saturday, March 22, 2014 at 01:15 PM - 02:15 PMPURPOSE: Pulmonary hypertension[PH] is an overlooked condition with serious outcome. The exact prevalence of the disease remains unknown in many countries. We wanted to assess the prevalence of PH in patient referred to cardiology outpatient echo clinic of Benghazi Medical Centre (BMC)METHODS: Doppler echo cardiography reports, performed by experienced cardiologist, of adult patients referred to cardiology outpatients of BMC (serving secondary and tertiary level of medical service) in the period between January 2010 and March 2013 were retrospectively reviewed. Demographic data and available medical information including co-morbidities were obtained. PH was considered possible when tricuspid regurgitation velocity > 2.8 m.s -1, PA systolic pressure > 36 mmHg with or without additional echo-cardiographic variables suggestive of PH (Galie et al 2009). Evidence of any further action taken for patients with possible PH was noted.Results645 patient reports were reviewed. 23 patients (3.5%) had criteria consistent with possible PH. 11 out of 23 (48 %) patients were males. The mean estimated pulmonary arterial systolic pressure (PAP) was 53.7mmHg. 2 out of 23 (8%) patients had chronic pulmonary disease, 6 (25%) had ischaemic heart disease and the others had no specified diagnosis. When softer echo-cardiographic criteria were used for possible PH (tricuspid regurgitation velocity ≤ 2.8m.s -1, PAP > 25 and ≤ 36 mmHg with additional echocardiographic variables suggestive of PH), 50 out of 645 (8%) patients had abnormal findings. 18 out of 50 (36%) were males and the mean PAP was 41mmHg. 7 (14%) patients had IHD, 3 (6%) chronic lung disease, 3 (6%) rheumatic heart disease, 1(2%) had SLE, 1(2%) had sickle cell anemia and 1 had thalassemia. None of the possible PH patient had evidence of further investigations or right heart catheterization (RHC) or referral o specialized clinicConclusionsAt least 3.5% of patients attending echo-cardiography clinic of BMC had features of possible PH and should have had further assessment. This is the first study in the Eastern part of LibyaClinical ImplicationsPossible PH patients were overlooked at echo cardiogrphy clinic and awareness should be increased. Patients with possible echo cardiography based PH should be referred for further assessment including RHC.DisclosureThe following authors have nothing to disclose: Khalid Gaber, Osama Elfaitouri, Sherif Hassi, Osama Embaig, Shawg NajemNo Product/Research Disclosure Information.

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