Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is characterized as a chronic elevation in mean pulmonary artery pressure (MPAP) resulting from increased hydrodynamic resistance and decreased hydraulic capacitance of the pulmonary circulatory system. These hemodynamic changes cause the heart to operate outside optimum pump efficiency. The heart compensates for the efficiency loss through ventricular hypertrophy which, if left untreated, will continue until cardiac failure results.

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