News

Eliminating a long noncoding RNA reduced heart-muscle enlargement in mice with pulmonary hypertension (PH), according to a study. The RNA, known as MALAT1, balances the turnover — or production, growth and death — of smooth muscle cells lining blood vessels. MALAT1 stands for metastasis-associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1. The study, “…

A small group of stem cells may help repair the lungs of those with pulmonary hypertension (PH), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and other lung conditions, according to a study. The body may recruit very small embryonic-like stem cells (VSELs) from bone marrow to the bloodstream so they can reach areas…

A recent article that presented case studies of three patients with rheumatoid arthritis-associated pulmonary hypertension (PH), highlights the diversity of the underlying causes of the disease, and emphasizes the importance of diagnosing it early. The study “Rheumatoid arthritis associated pulmonary hypertension: Clinical challenges reflecting the diversity of pathophysiology”…

Screening patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) may help identify patients with both conditions sooner to start appropriate treatments, ensuring a better outcome, according to new research. The study, “Epidemiology And Disease Characteristics Of Systemic Sclerosis-Related Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Results From A Real-Life Screening Programme,” was published in…

Northwestern Medicine’s Pulmonary Vascular Disease Program has won accreditation as a Comprehensive Care Center by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA), in recognition of its excellence in diagnosis, research and clinical care of PH patients. To earn the accreditation, the program, which is led by Stuart Rich,…

Treatment with aloperine, a traditional Eastern herbal medicine, reduces markers of oxidative stress and improves heart parameters in a pulmonary hypertension (PH) animal model. The results were reported in a study titled “Protective effects of aloperine on monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats,” published in the journal Biomedicine &…

Vasopressor medications can trigger pulmonary hypertension by increasing blood volume rather than constricting blood vessels in the lungs, according to a study. This insight may improve the management of patients treated with vasopressors, particularly those who also have heart disease, researchers said. Vasopressors are used to treat extremely low blood…

Letairis (ambrisentan) was the most efficient, robust therapeutic among endothelin receptor antagonists (ERAs) to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), according to a study that compared the drug to three other therapies: Thelin (sitaxsentan), Tracleer (bosentan) and Opsumit (macitentan). The study, “Comparative efficacy and acceptability of endothelin receptor antagonists for…

High levels of a protein called galectin-3 are associated with pulmonary hypertension deaths, according to a study that says targeting the protein could be a way to develop treatments for PH. In fact, the higher the level of the protein, the higher the death rate, the research showed. The study,…

Treatment with 20 mg Revatio (sildenafil) three times a day may be more effective than lower dosages, a clinical trial has concluded. The study, “Efficacy of 1, 5, and 20 mg oral sildenafil in the treatment of adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension: a randomized, double-blind study with open-label extension.” appeared in…

Researchers suggest that routine echocardiographic (ECG) screening for pulmonary hypertension (PH) in premature infants might only be needed if certain risk factors are evident. While the proposed approach would identify most children affected and be of help to hospitals, researchers acknowledge that lung hypertension might go undetected in some babies. The change is estimated to…

England’s National Health Service (NHS) has added three treatments to the options it offers patients with rare diseases, one of which is for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The additions will help up to 145 people annually. NHS England will cover the cost of doctors performing them. NHS approved 19 treatments in…