News

S1P Molecule Seen to Promote PAH, May Offer New Way of Treating Disease

Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) have higher than usual blood levels of S1P, a molecule that promotes worsening disease, according to a study published in the journal Pulmonary Circulation. The researchers, working in a rat PAH model, also found that blocking this protein improved pulmonary arterial structure and cardiac function, suggesting…

Inhaled Tyvaso for PAH is Safe, Well Tolerated by Patients, Study Shows

Tyvaso (treprostinil sodium), a drug approved for enhancing exercise capacity in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), was reported in a recent study to be well tolerated and safe in routine clinical use. The study, “An observational study of inhaled-treprostinil respiratory-related safety in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension,” was published…

Elsevier to Create eLearning Programs for PAH and Other Respiratory Specialists

Elsevier  announced that it is expanding its work with the American College of Chest Physicians (CHEST) to provide CHEST members with detailed and interactive eLearning programs that address their specialities, including pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). Elsevier is a provider of scientific, technical and medical information products, and the…

Tracleer May Delay Onset of PAH in Scleroderma Patients

Early treatment with Tracleer (bosentan) may delay the development of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in people with scleroderma, according to a study that compared patients who had never used this medicine with those taking it  for digital ulcers. If confirmed in other studies, the finding has the potential to radically change the prognosis for numerous…

Treatment for PAH with Connective Tissue Disease Shows Promise in 2 Studies, Both Enrolling

Reata Pharmaceuticals has enrolled the first patient in its Phase 3 CATALYST trial (NCT02657356), exploring the potential benefits of bardoxolone methyl in people with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) linked to connective tissue disease. The trial is continuing to recruit participants. The company also reported that data from the ongoing Phase 2 LARIAT…

Opsumit Reduces PAH Severity by Halting Associated Metabolic Changes, Study Shows

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) severity is associated with alterations in the heart’s metabolism, but a recent study showed that Opsumit (macitentan) can reduce these metabolic changes, lessening PAH severity and easing strain on the heart’s right ventricle. The study, “Effects of an endothelin receptor antagonist, Macitentan, on right ventricular substrate utilization and function…

PAH Patients with Rare Disease Subtypes in Need of Better Research, Treatment

Despite increased attention on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), information on treatments for those patients with rare conditions — Eisenmenger syndrome or PAH with adult congenital heart disease (ACHD) — is lacking. Two physician-researchers who addressed this are advising these patients be followed in tertiary academic centers to increase their enrollment in clinical…