HIGH-ALTITUDE PULMONARY-EDEMA WITH PRIMARY PULMONARY-HYPERTENSION

A 43-year-old woman had two episodes of lung edema at moderate altitud es. She had taken slimming pills containing fenfluramine hydrochloride and diethylpropion hydrochloride. At sea level, catheterization of th e light side of the heart showed a mean pulmonary artery pressure of 1 6 mm Hg, which increased to 34 mm Hg with mild exercise in a supine po sition. An extensive workup failed to identify a cardiac or a pulmonar y cause of pulmonary hypertension. This patient experienced mild prima ry pulmonary hypertension related to the intake of anorexigens, which was revealed by high-altitude pulmonary edema.