News

Newborn PAH deaths drop globally, but inequalities remain: Analysis

Global death rates and levels of disability among newborns with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) have declined since 1990, while the incidence of new cases has remained stable, according to a 30-year analysis. Still, mortality and disability rates are disproportionately higher in countries with low economic status, “underscoring the critical…

Measure estimates vascular loss, forecasts outcomes in pediatric PAH

Researchers used computer-based modeling to develop a measure, called pulmonary vascular compromise (PVC), which estimates the reduced function of the pulmonary blood vessels in children with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), according to a study. Supported by clinical data, a higher PVC, meaning a loss of the pulmonary vasculature, was…

New combined treatment improves heart function in CTEPH cases

A new sequential strategy successfully treats people with severe chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), significantly reducing high blood pressure and improving heart function, a study finds. The three-step regimen — medication, balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA), and pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) surgery — is designed for people facing unacceptably high surgical…

ALG-801 delivers strong results for PAH in early lab studies

A new experimental therapy for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), called ALG-801, has shown superior efficacy over current standard-of-care treatments in early laboratory studies, according to its developer, Alivegen. In animal testing, the medication reduced signs of the disease by targeting a molecular pathway involved in the abnormal growth…

Stem cell fluid shows promise as PAH treatment, study finds

Stem cell-derived conditioned medium, or the liquid that remains after cells are cultured, reduces the signs of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in rat and cell models, a study showed. “These findings support [stem cell]‐derived conditioned medium as a promising therapeutic strategy for PAH, warranting further investigation in translational studies…

Higher pulmonary arterial pressure is problem for pregnant women

For pregnant women with pulmonary hypertension (PH), higher pulmonary arterial pressure — blood pressure levels in the blood vessels that supply the lungs — is associated with longer hospital stays and a greater chance of being admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU). That’s according to a new study…

Underweight infants with PH at high risk for eye disease: Study

Underweight infants with pulmonary hypertension (PH) are at increased risk of developing retinopathy of prematurity (ROP), a leading cause of childhood blindness, according to a study. However, the prevalence of severe ROP was 18% lower in PH infants who received treatment with inhaled nitric oxide (iNO). “While iNO is…