Cor pulmonale

Cor pulmonale is a medical term used to describe a failure of the right side of the heart. It is caused by prolonged high blood pressure in the right ventricle of the heart, which in turn is often caused by pulmonary hypertension - prolonged high blood pressure in the arteries or veins of the lungs. People with heart disease, or lung diseases such as cystic fibrosis, are at greater risk.