Risk factors

Pulmonary hypertension is more often diagnosed in people ages 30 to 60. Growing older can increase the risk of developing pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). However, idiopathic PAH is more common in younger adults.

Other things that can raise the risk of pulmonary hypertension include:

• A family history of the condition
• Being overweight
• Blood-clotting disorders or a family history of blood clots in the lungs
• Exposure to asbestos
• Congenital heart disease
• Living at a high altitude
• Use of certain weight-loss drugs
• Use of illegal drugs such as cocaine
• Use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), used to treat depression and anxiety