[Possibilities of active mass screening in the prevention of pulmonary hypertension in chronic bronchitis].

The authors presented a comparative analysis of the time course of pulmonary blood pressure (PBP), cardiac output, total pulmonary resistance (TPR), and right ventricular capacity in 2 groups of patients with chronic obstructive bronchitis (COB) with moderately marked emphysema and pneumofibrosis at repeated examinations with an interval of 4-36 (an average of 13) months. In the 1st group which was not actively followed-up, these indices showed a tendency to deterioration. In the 2nd group actively followed-up and receiving multimodality therapy (broncholytic drugs, expectorants, antibiotics when indicated, physiotherapy, in some cases--vasoactive agents and hormones) negative time course was much less frequent and noticeable. Positive PBP and TPR changes were twice as more frequent in the 2nd group. The efficacy of active medical examination of COB patients was shown with regard to the prophylaxis and therapy of pulmonary hypertension.