Approximately 5,000 Americans are diagnosed with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) each year. The condition is a result of persistent obstruction of pulmonary blood vessels due to unresolved blood clots from previous episodes of acute pulmonary embolism. If patients do not receive treatment for CTEPH, they may develop…
Clinicians are constantly in need of biomarkers that can be used to non-invasively predict disease status of patients. In the case of pulmonary hypertension, one promising predictor is the N-terminal fragment of the pro-hormone for brain natriuretic peptide: N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP). Levels of NT-proBNP are elevated after…
Pulmonary hypertension can result from a number of causes: liver diseases, lung diseases, rheumatic disorders, low oxygen, poor health behaviors and can also be inherited. More than 80% of cases resulting from a genetic predisposition to the disease are due to a mutation in the bone morphogenic protein receptor 2…
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