Vijaya Iyer, PhD,  —

Philips recently announced two new capabilities of its echocardiogram system, the EPIQ CVx cardiology ultrasound platform, that will assist in heart imaging and functional studies, improving the accuracy and duplication of diagnostic tests for pulmonary hypertension (PH), among other conditions. The system improvements are the result…

Owlstone Medical has established a strategic collaboration with Actelion Pharmaceuticals to develop and validate a breath-based diagnostic test for different types of pulmonary hypertension (PH). Actelion Pharmaceuticals will solely fund this discovery and development program. The test will be based on Owlstone’s non-invasive method called Breath Biopsy, in…

Teva Pharmaceutical Industries launched a generic version of Letairis (ambrisentan) in the United States for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Generic ambrisentan will be available as 5 and 10 mg tablets. Letairis is marketed by Gilead in the U.S., while in Europe it is sold…

Treatment with Revatio (sildenafil) after surgery to the heart’s mitral valve significantly lowered pulmonary arterial pressure in patients with pre-operative significant pulmonary hypertension, researchers from Israel report. The study, “Sildenafil for Pulmonary Hypertension in the Early Postoperative Period After Mitral Valve Surgery,” was published in the Journal…

An updated guideline with new recommendations for the treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was released by the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST). The free guide, titled “Therapy for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Adults 2018: Update of the CHEST Guideline and Expert Panel Report…

Eligible pulmonary hypertension patients could gain access to financial assistance in paying for PH therapies approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) under a newly opened copay assistance program set up by The Assistance Fund (TAF). TAF is an independent charitable organization based in Florida. Started in 2009 for patients and…

A ventilator-compatible nitric oxide generator and delivery system, called AirNOvent, for patients with pulmonary hypertension and related conditions, will be made available by Circassia Pharmaceuticals to hospitals in the U.S. and China next year. This is made possible through a $32.5 million commercial license agreement signed with AIT…

The prevalence of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in South Korea is comparable with that reported in other countries, according to a reassessment study of medical insurance data. The study, “Demographics, treatment trends, and survival rate in incident pulmonary artery hypertension in Korea: A nationwide study based on the…

The Stanford University School of Medicine is the first clinical site for a Phase 2 trial testing levosimendan as a potential treatment for pulmonary hypertension associated with heart failure and preserved ejection fraction (PH-HFpEF), Tenax Therapeutics recently announced. Ejection fraction is the amount of blood that the…

Transgelin, a smooth muscle protein, is abundant in patients with irreversible pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) secondary to congenital heart disease and may contribute to PAH progression, a study reports. The study, “Transgelin as a potential target in the reversibility of pulmonary arterial hypertension secondary to congenital heart disease,” was…

Patients with mild pulmonary hypertension (PH), with a mean pulmonary arterial pressure between 19 and 21 mmHg, are at significant risk of death, indicating a need for adjustment of the mPAP diagnostic value. The study, “Mild Pulmonary Hypertension Is Associated with Increased Mortality: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis,”…

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) will be using social media throughout this month to increase awareness about issues affecting patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) within the medical community, the general public, and members of Congress. PHA is also organizing fundraising events to support PH research and education as part of their outreach…