News

A single-dose of Ventavis (inhaled iloprost) is safe and effective in treating pulmonary hypertension (PH) associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), with greatest efficacy seen in patients with severe PH, a study by researchers in China reports. The study “Hemodynamic and gas exchange effects of…

The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) has unveiled eligibility criteria for patients and caregivers applying for stipends to attend next year’s PHA International PH Conference and Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Florida. The event, set for June 29 to July 1, is open to pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients, their caregivers and community…

A study in mice offers insight into why women are more susceptible to developing pulmonary hypertension than men. It suggests that genes in the Y chromosome – which confers the male sex – may protect against the development of pulmonary hypertension. The finding suggests that differences in susceptibility to the…

Anti-clotting agents can prevent pulmonary hypertension patients’ blood vessels from being blocked, but managing the agents can be challenging, a study reports. In fact, it contends that managing them in a less than optimal way can lead to severe complications. The team defined less than optimal as prescribing too little…

Adempas (riociguat) can be a safe way to treat children with severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) who don’t respond to first-line standard therapies, concludes a case report published in the journal Pulmonary Circulation. Despite recent medical advances, PAH remains a complex disease with poor outcomes in both…

PhaseBio Pharmaceuticals has secured $15.6 million in funds to develop its pipeline for orphan drugs led by PB1046, which is designed to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), heart failure, cardiomyopathy and cystic fibrosis. Silicon Valley Bank is loaning PhaseBio $7.5 million, to be allocated in increments subject to certain…

Patients with mutations in the EIF2AK4 gene have worse outcomes than others with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), researchers report, suggesting that genetic tests be given these people — often diagnosed with PAH — to determine if they actually have pulmonary vena-occlusive disease (PVOD) or pulmonary capillary hemangiomatosis (PCH) and can be treated…

A retrospective study showed that pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)-specific drug therapies do not raise the risk of respiratory tract infections (RTIs). The Chinese study, “Incidence and risk of respiratory tract infection associated with specific drug therapy in pulmonary arterial hypertension: a systematic review” appeared in the journal…

Beginning in January 2018, people with pulmonary hypertension (PH) and their caregivers can apply for stipends to attend next year’s Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) International PH Conference and Scientific Sessions in Orlando, Florida. Both U.S. and foreign patients — adults and children alike — are eligible for the scholarships, which…

Nearly one in every two people with advanced lung cancer also have pulmonary arterial hypertension, a study published in the journal Science Translational Medicine reports. The study, “Lung cancer–associated pulmonary hypertension: role of microenvironmental inflammation based on tumor cell-immune cell crosstalk,” showed that lung cancer progression leads…

A retrospective study found that patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) have more pronounced decreases in mental health than those with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The German study, “Anxiety, Depression, and Health-Related QOL in Patients Diagnosed with PAH or CTEPH,” appeared in the journal Lung. PAH and…

The National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) says it’s “disappointed and dismayed” after the House of Representatives voted 227-205 last week to repeal the Orphan Drug Tax Credit as part of a U.S. tax reform package. A similar package before the Senate Finance Committee does not repeal the credit…