Cor pulmonale – colloquially called pulmonary heart – (synonyms: chronic cardiopulmonary disease; chronic pulmonary heart disease; chronic cor pulmonale; cardiopulmonary heart failure; cardiopulmonary heart disease; pulmonary heart disease; ICD-10-GM I27. 9: Pulmonary heart disease, unspecified) refers to dilatation (widening) and/or hypertrophy (enlargement) of the right ventricle (main chamber) of the heart due to pulmonary hypertension (increase in pressure in the pulmonary circulation: pulmonary arterial mean pressure (mPAP) > 25 mmHg at rest – normal mPAP is 14 ± 3 and does not exceed 20 mmHG), which may be due to various diseases of the lungs.
The following forms of cor pulmonale can be distinguished:
- Cor pulmonale acutum – acute right heart strain; the main cause is pulmonary embolism (partial (partial) or complete obstruction of a pulmonary artery), rarely an acute attack of bronchial asthma
- Cor pulmonale chronicum – chronic right heart strain; resulting from a chronic structural, functional, or circulatory disorder of the lung with pulmonary hypertension ( e.g., caused by chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD))
Approximately 84% of all cor pulmonale cases are caused by COPD.
Sex ratio: men are more commonly affected than women (due to smoking habits).
In the US, cor pulmonale accounts for approximately 6-7% of all adult heart disease. In India, the prevalence (disease incidence) is estimated at 16% and in England, cor pulmonale is thought to be responsible for 30-40% of heart failure cases. In regions with severe air pollution or inhalation smoking, the prevalence for cor pulmonale is higher.
Course and prognosis: The main focus is on treatment of the underlying pulmonary disease. Initially, the disease causes little, if any, discomfort. The disease is progressive. In many cases, cor pulmonale leads to right heart failure. The disease is associated with high morbidity (incidence of disease) and mortality (morbidity).
