2021 World Pulmonary Hypertension Day

World Pulmonary Hypertension Day is an annual global event to raise awareness of pulmonary hypertension (PH), a severe condition affecting the lungs and heart.

On May 5, people around the world will participate in World PH Day to raise awareness of this frequently misdiagnosed disease; advocate for access to PH diagnosis, treatment and care; and celebrate the lives of those living with PH.

Due to the ongoing spread of COVID-19, World PH Day will take place virtually this year. The health and safety of the PH community are our priority. The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) encourages everyone to consider a COVID-19 vaccine according to World Health Organization (WHO) guidelines, and to continue following health and safety guidelines including wearing face masks, practicing social distancing and washing hands frequently.

Join Us in Raising Awareness

Patients, caregivers, loved ones and friends are invited to join us on Facebook,  Twitter  and Instagram.
to celebrate World PH Day by sharing their PH stories, photos and messages throughout the month of May.
Please include #WorldPHDay2021 and tag PHA in your posts. PHA will share select submissions on its Facebook, Twitter and Instagram channels all month long.

Together, We Can Fight COVID-19

To recognize the ongoing commitment among the global PH community to protect the health of our lungs, PHA’s 2021 World PH Day awareness effort also includes the “Together, We Can Fight COVID-19” social media campaign.

Participate by posting photos getting a COVID-19 vaccine, wearing a mask or practicing social distancing. Include the hashtags #FightingCovid19 and #WorldPHDay2021 and tag PHA in your posts.

Change Your Social Media Profile Images and Cover Photos

Use the graphics provided below and in the toolkit to change your social media profile images and cover photos.

Facebook Cover

Twitter Cover

Profile Picture

Facebook Frames

Add one of the official World PH Day 2021 Facebook frames to your profile picture to celebrate World PH Day.

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To post about this on your Facebook or Instagram, visit the 2021 World PH Day Toolkit.

To post about this on your Facebook or Instagram, visit the 2021 World PH Day Toolkit.

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PHA) can be idiopathic, heritable, developed in association with congenital heart disease or liver disease, induced by drug or toxins such as certain diet pills or methamphetamines, or related to connective tissue diseases such as lupus or scleroderma. Globally, a leading cause of PAH is schistosomiasis.

An estimated 20 million people, mostly in Africa and Asia, develop a severe form of PH from schistosomiasis, a common parasitic disease in which the parasite’s eggs obstruct the pulmonary arteries. Schistosomiasis-related PH is the most common cause of PH in the developing world.

Citation: Papamatheakis DG, Mocumbi AO, Kim NH, Mandel J. Schistosomiasis-associated pulmonary hypertension. Pulm Circ. 2014;4(4):596–611. doi:10.1086/678507

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To post about this on your Facebook or Instagram, visit the 2021 World PH Day Toolkit.

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To post about this on your Facebook or Instagram, visit the 2021 World PH Day Toolkit.

In economically developed countries, PH is most often seen as a common complication of left heart disease, which affects at least 26 million people worldwide. Problems with the left side the of the heart, such as valvular heart disease and systolic or diastolic dysfunction, can lead to a backup of blood returning from the lungs, causing pressures in the lung to rise.

Citation: Savarese G, Lund LH. Global Public Health Burden of Heart Failure. Card Fail Rev. 2017;3(1):7–11. doi:10.15420/cfr.2016:25:2

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To post about this on your Facebook or Instagram, visit the 2021 World PH Day Toolkit.

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To post about this on your Facebook or Instagram, visit the 2021 World PH Day Toolkit.

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To post about this on your Facebook or Instagram, visit the 2021 World PH Day Toolkit.

Chronic high altitude, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and sleep-disordered breathing (sleep apnea) are some of the underlying causes that lead to scarring in the lungs that can cause PH. More than 140 million persons worldwide live 10,000 feet or more above sea level.

Citation: Mirrakhimov AE, Strohl KP. High-altitude Pulmonary Hypertension: an Update on Disease Pathogenesis and Management. Open Cardiovasc Med J. 2016;10:19–27. Published 2016 Feb 8. doi:10.2174/1874192401610010019

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To post about this on your Facebook or Instagram, visit 2021 World PH Day Toolkit.

A rare and progressive form of PH, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is caused by blood clots in the lungs. Up to 5% of individuals who have had a pulmonary embolism go on to develop (CTEPH).

Citation: McNeil K, Dunning J. Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Heart. 2007;93(9):1152–1158. doi:10.1136/hrt.2004.053603

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To post about this on your Facebook or Instagram, visit the 2021 World PH Day Toolkit.

Various disorders can cause PH in which PH is secondary to other diseases, including blood disorders, systemic disorders with lung involvement and metabolic disorders.

Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory disease that affects various organs and can lead to PH when increased pressure in the lungs causes weakening and ultimately failure of the right side of the heart.

Citation: Diaz-Guzman E, Farver C, Parambil J, Culver DA. Pulmonary hypertension caused by sarcoidosis. Clin Chest Med. 2008;29(3):549–x. doi:10.1016/j.ccm.2008.03.010