News

Two genes ID’d as therapeutic targets for PAH

Two genes were identified as potential drivers of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in a bioinformatics study, offering opportunities to better understand the disease and explore their use as biomarkers or therapeutic targets. The genes, called WDR43 and GNL2, were more active in the lungs of people with PAH than…

Non-oral PAH treatment adds challenges for patients: Study

While non-oral treatments for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) can help ease symptoms, they can also make for poorer quality of life as they add new day-to-day challenges that go beyond those posed by the disease itself, a study found. The study, “Patients’ perspectives on the challenges associated with…

PAH linked to methamphetamine use tied to worse heart health

People with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) related to use of methamphetamine — a potent stimulant only legally available by prescription — tend to have worse heart health and poorer exercise capacity compared with patients with other forms of PAH. That’s according to a new study, “Methamphetamine-associated…

Widening of the pulmonary artery in PH is common: Large-scale study

Pulmonary arterial dilatation — the abnormal widening of the main pulmonary artery leading from the heart — was a common feature among people with pulmonary hypertension (PH) in a large-scale study. The clinical characteristics related to a dilated pulmonary artery, such as heart function and blood flow parameters, varied widely…

Heart condition in PH tied to worst hospitalization outcomes in study

Atrial fibrillation or AF — a heart condition marked by an irregular heartbeat — is associated with longer hospital stays, higher inpatient mortality, and greater hospitalization costs in patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), according to a new large-scale study. The findings indicate that this heart condition, common in people…