For which condition is increased pulmonary arterial pressure typically seen?

Increased pulmonary arterial pressure is often associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). This condition leads to intermittent periods of hypoxia and reoxygenation during sleep due to airway obstruction. These episodes of hypoxia can cause pulmonary vasoconstriction, which over time may lead to pulmonary hypertension. This increase in pulmonary arterial pressure is a result of the body’s response to low oxygen levels, which prompts the blood vessels in the lungs to constrict, thereby elevating pressure.

On the other hand, pulmonary embolism typically presents with acute increases in pulmonary arterial pressure due to obstruction of blood flow in the pulmonary arteries, but the question is asking for a condition where increased pressure is typically seen, which aligns more with the chronic effects of obstructive sleep apnea. Severe asthma can also lead to increased pressures during acute exacerbations, but it does not consistently result in elevated pulmonary arterial pressure in the same chronic manner as obstructive sleep apnea. A pneumothorax primarily affects intrathoracic pressure and lung volume but does not directly cause an increase in pulmonary arterial pressure as seen with OSA.