Pulmonary hypertension and other pulmonary vascular diseases (excluding pulmonary embolism) statistics

Pulmonary hypertension is a rare blood vessel disorder of the lung. Pressure in the pulmonary artery (the blood vessel that leads from the heart to the lungs) rises above normal levels, putting a strain on the right side of the heart, and may become life threatening.

There are several different types of pulmonary hypertension. In most people, it is associated with another condition. Severe lung disease of any sort can increase the pulmonary pressure.

These statistics on pulmonary vascular disease in the UK were compiled as part of our Respiratory Health of the Nation project by teams at St George’s University of London, Nottingham University and Imperial College London.

Deaths from pulmonary hypertension and other pulmonary vascular diseases (excluding pulmonary embolism)

How many people died from pulmonary vascular diseases in 2012?


There were 590 deaths from these diseases in 2012. The number of deaths increased by more than 10% between 2008 and 2012. The mortality data for England and Wales are broken down into sub-codes.

This means that figures for pulmonary hypertension can be isolated. We found that 70% of the deaths from these diseases in England and Wales were for pulmonary hypertension. This suggests that the rise in deaths from these diseases across the UK is due to a rise in deaths from pulmonary hypertension. This might be due to more awareness of the disease and therefore more people being diagnosed with it.

UK deaths from pulmonary vascular disease compared with other lung diseases, 2012

How many males and females died from pulmonary vascular diseases in each UK region in 2008–12?

Pulmonary vascular diseases (other than PE) mortality ratios by UK regions, males and females, 2008–12

Emergency hospital admissions

How do rates of emergency admission to hospital for pulmonary vascular disease vary across the UK, 2008–12?

There were around 3,800 hospital admissions and nearly 31,000 bed days for these diseases in 2011.

Pulmonary vascular disease hospital admission ratios, males and females, in each UK region, 2008–12