About the Pulmonary Hypertension Program
The Pulmonary Hypertension Program is one of a very few pediatric programs in North America that is dedicated to the care of children with pulmonary hypertension (PH), or high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs (the pulmonary arteries). We work with families and children from the Philadelphia region, throughout the U.S. and around the world who are looking for answers, second opinions and advanced treatment options for this progressive disease.
While PH is diagnosed in patients under the age of 18 more frequently than 20 years ago, it is still relatively rare in children. However, the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) treats more than 700 patients with pulmonary hypertension each year, arguably making us the largest pediatric PH program in the country.
“CHOP is truly an amazing place. They have the best doctors, the best nurses, the best staff.”
Multidisciplinary care for children with PH
At CHOP, your child will be cared for by a team of physicians and nurse practitioners who are recognized experts in pediatric pulmonary hypertension. If we determine your child has pulmonary hypertension, the course of his treatment will depend on the cause and nature of the disease.
For example, if structural heart disease is part of the problem, we will work closely with other members of the Cardiac Center to devise appropriate therapeutic treatment plans for your child. If lung disease is identified as a cause of your child’s PH, we will work closely with our world-renowned colleagues in the Division of Pulmonary Medicine as well as other specialties, such as the Pulmonary Hypoplasia Program and the Neonatal and Infant Chronic Lung Disease Program.
We also work with dedicated lung transplant physicians, rheumatologists, hematologists and neurologists, all of whom understand childhood PH and also work closely with us on our research efforts.
Nationally recognized experts
The Pulmonary Hypertension Program at CHOP also works collaboratively with other specialty centers across the U.S. and Canada through the Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension Network Registry (PPHNet). This network of pediatric PH programs shares information, outcomes and treatment recommendations to help further understanding of this rare condition. At CHOP, your child will benefit from this multi-center collaboration. The genesis of the 2015 Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension Guidelines came from the PPHNet, and our team played an integral part in the formulation and writing of this important document.
Our physicians and nurse practitioners are also active participants in the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA). As speakers, educators and committee members we actively advocate for the PHA mission to include all pediatric patients with PH.
