Right Ventricle Matters in PAH: Recognize, Refer, Respond.

Pulmonary artery pressure is only part of the story in pulmonary arterial hypertension. This dynamic webinar will explore why right ventricular function and RV-PA coupling may provide more meaningful insight into patient outcomes, and how echocardiographic findings can help guide clinical decision-making.

Through clinical expertise, imaging perspectives, and a patient's lived experience, speakers will examine how to recognize signs of right ventricular dysfunction, interpret echocardiographic findings with appropriate confidence, and identify when referral to a pulmonary hypertension clinic should be considered.

Watch the replay - it's free

Learning Objectives

After attending the session, participants will be able to:

Explain why RV function, including RV-PA coupling, is a stronger predictor of outcome in PAH than resting PA pressure alone.
Recognize echocardiographic markers of RV dysfunction and reverse remodeling.
Describe how variability in echocardiography access and interpretation across Canada should inform confidence in imaging findings and specialist consultation.
Identify clinical triggers for referral to a pulmonary hypertension clinic and describe the pathway from an abnormal echocardiographic report to referral.
Connect improvements in RV function with changes in patients' daily function and quality of life through clinical and patient perspectives.

Accreditation

This program was developed by RESPIPLUS and received funding from Merck. It is planned to achieve scientific integrity, objectivity and balance.

This webinar is only for healthcare professionals.

About our speakers

Dr. Alan Kaplan

MD, CCFP(EM), FCFP — Family Physician, Aurora, Ontario

Dr. Alan Kaplan is a family physician in Aurora, Ontario, and a leading voice in bringing respiratory expertise into primary care. He chairs the Family Physician Airways Group of Canada and sits on the GINA Scientific Committee, and has authored over 200 peer-reviewed articles on respiratory disease.

Dr. Amer Johri

MD — Cardiologist, Queen's University

Dr. Amer Johri is a professor and clinician-scientist in the Division of Cardiology at Queen's University, with over a decade of experience in advanced cardiovascular imaging. He is Vice President of the Canadian Society of Echocardiography and founding director of the Cardiovascular Imaging Network at Queen's (CINQ Lab).

Kate Salonga

Patient Partner and PAH Advocate

Kate Salonga was diagnosed with group 1 pulmonary hypertension in 2018. After seven years on IV epoprostenol, she has transitioned fully to oral medication. She advocates for the PH community as "SquishyLungSyndrome" and openly shares how PH affects her mental health and daily life.

Dr. Jason Weatherald

MD, MSc, FRCPC

Dr. Jason Weatherald is a respirologist with the Southern Alberta Pulmonary Hypertension Program at the Peter Lougheed Centre. His research examines pathophysiology of pulmonary vascular disease, specifically gas exchange and pulmonary arterial hemodynamics during exercise. As a recent Canadian Vascular Network/Bayer fellowship recipient, his current research involves wave intensity analysis to describe right ventricular-pulmonary arterial interaction in patients with pulmonary hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.