Clinics for Pulmonary Hypertension & Pulmonary Vascular Disease
What is Pulmonary Hypertension (PH)?
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a lung disorder in which blood pressure in the pulmonary artery rises above normal levels. The pulmonary artery is the blood vessel carrying oxygen-poor blood from the heart to the lungs. This abnormally high pressure (known as pulmonary hypertension) is associated with changes in the small blood vessels in the lungs, resulting in an increased resistance to blood flowing through the vessels. The increased resistance, in turn, places a strain on the heart, causing the heart to work against a higher resistance to pump blood to the lungs.
Pulmonary hypertension may occur without an identifiable underlying cause or can be associated with a variety of conditions: cirrhosis, AIDS, connective tissue diseases, weight-reducing drugs, and certain toxins. Other conditions such as lung disease, heart disease, and low oxygen in the blood (hypoxia) and obstruction of the pulmonary vessels (from clots, foreign body, parasites and certain blood disorders).
The evaluation of patients with pulmonary hypertension in order to determine the cause and optimal treatment is a meticulous process requires a series of test and detailed assessment.
The Clinics for Pulmonary Hypertension & Pulmonary Vascular Disease
At the Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic, we are committed to improving the lives of our patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) and other pulmonary vascular diseases, including pulmonary emboli and blood clots in the lungs. Our priorities are to alleviate symptoms and improve the function of our patients’ everyday lives.
As part of an academic tertiary referral center, our Clinic offers state of the art, evidence-based management of the different categories of pulmonary hypertension. This includes confirmation of the pulmonary hypertension (PH) diagnosis, genetic testing, medication selection according to national guidelines, training on how to use different medications, smoking cessation therapies, and pulmonary rehabilitation. Also, in collaboration with our colleagues in Memorial Hermann Hospital-Texas Medical Center, we offer advanced therapies for selected patients including surgical options and lung transplantation.
Mission of Clinics for Pulmonary Hypertension & Pulmonary Vascular Disease
We break down our mission statement into four key focus areas: clinical care, community, education, and research.
Clinical Care: To provide a compassionate, comprehensive, state-of-the-art, and evidence-based approach to the diagnosis and treatment of patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) & pulmonary vascular disease
Community: To disseminate awareness and educate the public about the spectrum of pulmonary hypertension (PH) & pulmonary vascular disease
Education: To train future specialist physicians in the diagnosis and empathetic treatment of patient living with pulmonary hypertension (PH) & pulmonary vascular disease
Research: To advance the science and contribute to the knowledge in pulmonary hypertension (PH) & pulmonary vascular disease through cooperative and multidisciplinary involvement in discovering novel ideas on the causes, mechanisms of disease development, and disease progression, all while exploring new avenues of treatment
Meet Our Physicians
The physicians who are leading the Clinics for Pulmonary Hypertension and Pulmonary Vascular Disease are Dr. Bela Patel, Dr. Brandy McKelvy, Dr. Farah Kazzaz, and Dr. Bindu Akkanti.
These women physicians hold their respective leadership positions and are highly active in the University; their commitment to medical education carries directly into their patient care.
Clinic Location, Day and Times
UT Professional Building
6410 Fannin Street, Suite 600
Houston, TX 77030Tuesday & Wednesday 1:00pm – 5:00pm
Fax: 713-512-2247
Dr. Farah Kazzaz – Tuesdays 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Clinic Ph: 832-325-7222
Dr. Bela Patel – Tuesdays 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Clinic Ph: 832-325-7222
Dr. Bindu Akkanti – Tuesdays 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Clinic Ph: 713-704-5352
Dr. Brandy McKelvy – Wednesdays 1:00 pm to 5:00 pm
Clinic Ph: 832-325-7222
Patient Resources
- Learn about Pulmonary Hypertension from the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA): https://phassociation.org/patients/aboutph/
- Living with Pulmonary Hypertension from the PHA: https://phassociation.org/patients/living-with-ph/
- Find Your Local Support Group: https://phassociation.org/localsupportgroups/