Do you find yourself short of breath, even from a slow walk with the dog? Do you have to catch your breath at the top of a short staircase? Pulmonary hypertension might be the cause. It can limit your quality of life and, untreated, eventually, lead to heart failure. Dr. Nathan Hatton says, unlike hypertension (high blood pressure,) it can be difficult to detect and determine the root cause of pulmonary hypertension.