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Risk factors
By Mayo Clinic staffAlthough anyone can develop either type of pulmonary hypertension, older adults are more likely to have secondary pulmonary hypertension and young people are more likely to have idiopathic pulmonary hypertension (also called primary pulmonary hypertension). Primary pulmonary hypertension is also more common in women than it is in men.
Another risk factor for pulmonary hypertension is a family history of the disease. Some genes could be linked to idiopathic pulmonary hypertension. These genes might cause an overgrowth of cells in the small arteries of your lungs, making them narrower.
If one of your family members develops idiopathic pulmonary hypertension and tests positive for a gene mutation that can cause pulmonary hypertension, your doctor or genetic counselor may recommend that you or your family members be tested for the mutation.
