9 Pulmonary Hypertension Approved Therapies

There is still no definite cure known for pulmonary hypertension, but there are several treatments and therapies available to ease your PH. Find out more about nine approved therapies for pulmonary hypertension below (click on the name of the therapy to learn more about it):

• Adcirca (Tadalafil): Tadalafil is chemically a Phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitor, aimed at blocking the degradative action of cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP)-specific phosphodiesterase type 5 on cyclic GMP in the smooth muscle cells lining the blood vessels in the pulmonary arterial wall, which is responsible for excessive vasoconstriction and a rise in blood pressure.

• Adempas (Riociguat): Chemically known as riociguat, the drug is the first of a novel class of stimulators of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC), an enzyme responsible for vasodilation and lowering of blood pressure, and the only receptor of Nitric Oxide (NO) in the body.

• Alprostadil Injection: Alprostadil is a synthetic variant of the biological compound Prostaglandin E₁(PGE₁). Prostaglandins are potent vasodilators and are used extensively in treating patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to improve exercising ability and reduce clinical disease progression.

• Epoprostenol (Flolan / Veletri): Epoprostenol is a chemical class of prostaglandins, members of the family of lipid molecules eicosanoids. These are potent vasodilators and are also responsible for platelet activation. For its vasodilation properties, it is used to treat patients with WHO class III and IV pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) to improve exercise ability and reduce clinical worsening.

• Letairis (Ambrisentan): Ambrisentan (manufactured under the trade names of Letairis in the United States, Volibris in the European Union, and Pulmonext in India) is an FDA-approved oral formulation for treating patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH).

• Opsumit (Macitentan): Macitentan, manufactured and marketed by San-Francisco based Actelion Pharmaceuticals under the trade name Opsumit, is a novel, oral formulation aimed at treating patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

• Revatio (Sildenafil citrate): Sildenafil belongs to a group of chemicals known as phosphodiesterase inhibitors, which are responsible for dilating blood vessels and reducing blood pressure. Over the years, sildenafil and its compounds have found use in improving exercise ability and reducing clinical disease progression in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

• Tracleer (Bosentan): Bosentan is an endothelin receptor antagonist (ERA) manufactured by Actelion Pharmaceuticals in the United States, the European Union, and other countries under the trade name Tracleer and is used to treat patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

• Treprostinil (Tyvaso/Remodulin): Treprostinil (marketed under the trade names Remodulin, a sodium salt of treprostinil for infusion and Tyvaso for inhalation) is a synthetic form of the lipid molecule prostacyclin (also called prostaglandin, denoted as PGI₂₎, belonging to the class of eicosanoids. These molecules are potent vasodilators and are used to treat patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

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