For a while, breathing has not come easily to Barbara Wells. In 2016, she was diagnosed with interstitial lung disease, an umbrella term used for a large group of conditions that cause inflammation and scarring of the lungs. The scarring causes stiffness in the lungs, making it difficult to breathe and move oxygen into the bloodstream.
After experiencing an episode of heart failure in April 2025, she was admitted to a hospital and received a cardiac catheterization, a minimally invasive diagnostic procedure where a catheter is inserted into the heart’s chambers or blood vessels to diagnose heart conditions. During this procedure, she was found to have pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
PAH is a form of hypertension (high blood pressure) involving the blood vessels in the arteries that supply blood to your lungs. In PAH, the blood vessels of the lung are narrowed, which could occur because of an underlying lung or heart condition.
The narrowing of the vessels causes decreased blood flow to the lungs, raising the pressure in the lungs’ arteries (pulmonary arteries), which makes the heart work harder and can lead to heart failure.
“It was suggested that I see Ashish Rai, MD, Director of the Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Program at The Valley Hospital,” said Barbara. “I wanted to wait a little, but after another episode of heart failure in July, I scheduled an appointment for another catheterization that Dr. Rai would be present for.”
After confirming the presence of PAH, the Ringwood native started in Valley’s Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Program, which is a comprehensive program to help diagnose and manage PAH, which could delay the progression of the condition. Barbara was then admitted to The Valley Hospital to intravenously – delivered directly into a vein using an external pump – receive a prescription medication, Remodulin. She was in the hospital for three weeks.
“When I was discharged home, I had an implantable intravenous port put in for the medication so I can be on the medication at home,” said the 78-year-old. “I have had minimal side effects, and the hope is that this medication will slow the disease from progressing.”
Barbara has virtual appointments with Dr. Rai if needed and has help from family and friends with replacing the medication.
“I was not getting enough oxygen before and would collapse from it. Now, I feel like I am getting more oxygen, getting exercise in, doing physical therapy, and feeling better,” Barbara said. “The last six months have made a huge difference in my life, and I could not speak more highly of Dr. Rai and his team. They are always there when I have a question.”
“If anyone is experiencing a lot of breathing problems, make sure to be aware of your body and seek help, as your symptoms may be something more,” said Barbara. “I wish I had known about being tested for pulmonary arterial hypertension earlier, as I could have caught it earlier and started treatment sooner.”
For more information about the Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Program, please visit ValleyHealth.com/PAH.