Update on the PHA Pulmonary Hypertension Care Center Network: Early Experience With the National Accreditation Program

World Health Organization (WHO) Group 1 pulmonary hypertension (PH) (PAH, pulmonary arterial hypertension) and WHO Group 4 PH (CTEPH, chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension) are rare diseases of the pulmonary vascular system characterized by elevated pulmonary artery pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance in the absence of elevated left ventricular filling pressures, which may progress to right heart failure and death.1 Left untreated, the median survival for idiopathic (IPAH) and heritable (HPAH) disease is about 2.8 years from diagnosis.2 Adherence to expert consensus guidelines on PH diagnosis and management is of critical importance to correctly target therapy and improve patient outcomes.