Pulmonary hypertension is often first encountered as an incidental echocardiographic finding or as unexplained dyspnoea, exercise intolerance, or right heart dysfunction. The real clinical challenge is determining whether pulmonary hypertension is present, what is causing it, and which patients require specialist evaluation.

This session will provide a practical, step-by-step approach to the diagnosis and classification of pulmonary hypertension, from clinical suspicion and echocardiographic assessment to right heart catheterisation and haemodynamic confirmation. It will focus on distinguishing the major PH groups and identifying common underlying causes, including left heart disease, lung disease, chronic thromboembolic disease, and pulmonary arterial hypertension.

The discussion will translate the diagnostic framework into everyday clinical practice, helping clinicians recognise red flags, interpret investigations, avoid common diagnostic pitfalls, and determine the next appropriate step in a patient with suspected pulmonary hypertension.