Awareness of chronic pulmonary heart disease

  Chronic pulmonary heart disease (Cor Pulmonale) mostly occurs on the basis of chronic bronchitis or emphysema, causing increased resistance to pulmonary circulation and pulmonary hypertension, resulting in right heart hypertrophy with or without heart failure. The duration of the disease is usually more than 10 years, and the symptoms and signs of pulmonary diseases such as cough, sputum and shortness of breath are more frequent in the early stage, while signs of circulatory and respiratory failure appear in the late stage. Pulmonary emphysema is characterized by a barrel-shaped chest and a weakened apical pulsation. In advanced stages of emphysema, signs and symptoms of pulmonary disease include barrel-shaped chest, weak apical pulsation, hyperclear sounds on percussion, and lower lung borders. In right heart failure, there is jugular vein irritation, increased heart rate, subxiphoid rhythm and systolic murmur from incomplete atrioventricular valve (tricuspid valve) closure can be heard, and the second pulmonary artery sound is hyperactive. Liver enlargement, ascites, lower limb edema, etc.  Radiographic manifestations: Chronic bronchitis is seen with increased texture, thickening and blurring of the margins in both lungs, which is evident in both lower lungs. Pulmonary emphysema shows rib alignment, widened rib space, increased translucency of both lungs, slender and sparse lung textures, bilateral diaphragm decrease, and low amplitude of activity. The right lower pulmonary artery and its branches were dilated, with the first branch of the right lower pulmonary artery being the most obvious, as shown in the posterior anterior chest radiograph about 1 cm down from the hilar angle. The peripheral pulmonary field arteries become abruptly thin, forming a “stump sign”. The right ventricle is hypertrophied, showing a rounded and upwardly directed lower left heart edge, but the cardiothoracic ratio is small because of the frequent combination of emphysema. In the late stage, the right ventricular margin is seen to be convex to the right.