Magdalena Kegel,  —

According to a new study, oral treprostinil (Orenitram) could benefit patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) who are currently dependent on injectable drugs. There is, however, limited data guiding the transition from injection to oral therapies. The case series, which described the transition to oral treprostinil, showed that the switch needs…

Anticoagulant use in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is surrounded by scientific disagreement. A perspective attempted to analyze the differences between the two largest studies investigating the issue, but concluded that differences in study populations made comparisons meaningless. Randomized clinical or registry studies are needed to determine whether anticoagulant medication offers benefits, or…

Quality of life is an important measure of patient health and treatment effectiveness, but often overlooked in people with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). A review of such measurements in this patient group found plenty of room for improvement both in tools selected and their use — and called for more research on the…

Wall shear stress in the main pulmonary artery was found to be associated with worse hemodynamic parameters, as well as vessel stiffness and remodeling, in pulmonary hypertension patients. Findings in the study, published in the journal Pulmonary Circulation, suggest that measures of wall shear stress offer a new and non-invasive way to…

Elderly people at increased risk of pulmonary hypertension (PH) are increasingly also being diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Diagnosis and management in this group can be quite challenging, and a report from Geneva University Hospitals suggested that all elderly patients with suspected PAH should be referred to an expert center for…

Researchers from Chungbuk National University, Korea, found that ranolazine (Ranexa), a drug used to treat coronary heart disease, effectively reduced the structural remodeling of the heart’s right ventricle in an animal model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The results suggested that targeting right ventricle disease could delay PAH progression in people.

Blocking the enzyme sphingosine kinase 1 (SK1) reduced right ventricle enlargement in a mouse model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), while having no impact on blood vessel remodeling. The findings, published in the journal Cellular Signalling, highlighted disease mechanisms potentially crucial for future drug development. Scientists have…

A study from Johns Hopkins School of Medicine showed that a cellular ion transporter might contribute to the increased expansion and migration of smooth muscle cells lining lung arteries in a model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The findings provide new insights into disease mechanisms leading to blood vessel…

A study recently published in the journal European Respiratory Review reported the case of a man with pulmonary hypertension resulting from silica exposure-induced sarcoidosis. The report urges clinicians to be aware of this rare cause of pulmonary hypertension, in which specific analyses are needed to confirm a diagnosis.

Iloprost, an inhaled solution, is approved for the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in several countries, including the United States. A new study explored the drug’s effects in a Japanese population and found it to be both efficient and safe, a finding echoing results of previous studies largely conducted in…

The cardiac hormone known as atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP) controls blood pressure both throughout the body and in the lungs. Researchers previously believed that ANP’s hypotensive effect in the lungs was mediated by changes in the smooth muscle that lines pulmonary blood vessels. But scientists now report that the hormone facilitates…

Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus who develop pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) have a poorer prognosis, according to a review from the Peking Union Medical College & Chinese Academy of Medical Science, which strongly recommended clinicians pay attention to the simultaneous presence of these conditions, as early diagnosis and management might improve survival.