Research into, and care of, patients with both congenital heart disease and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) need to be optimized so that advances in PAH management and care can also benefit these patients, two PAH experts argue. George Giannakoulas, MD, PhD, at the Aristotle University of Thessaloniki in Greece, and…
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Sounds produced in the heart, reworked using a classification algorithm based on an automated speech recognition, were analyzed and seen to lead to more accurate diagnoses of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in patients than those done by physicians listening to the same heart recordings, according to the study,  “Acoustic diagnosis of pulmonary hypertension: automated…
A molecule called PHD2 in the cells lining blood vessels in the lungs protects mice from the blood vessel remodeling leading to pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), as removal of the factor triggered numerous changes linked to the condition. The findings suggest that PHD2 is a factor that is downstream of…
A study published in the journal Nature Communications reported the case of several patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) who carried more than one pathogenic mutation in several genes. The researchers found that these patients had more severe symptoms, which suggests that additional mutations can worsen the pathology of the…
Rats with induced pulmonary hypertension (PH) and all its symptoms that were then treated with a modified strain of Lactobacillus, a probiotic bacteria engineered to produce a specific oral peptide, showed a reversal in those symptoms: reduced blood pressure, reduced heart wall thickness, and improved heart contractility. The results were recently…
At the upcoming Evening of Hope Gala, the California chapter of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) will recognize two pioneers in the field of pulmonary hypertension (PH): Jean-Paul Clozel, MD, a cardiologist who is the chief executive officer the of the biopharmaceutical company Actelion, and his wife Martine Clozel, MD, a pediatrician who…
Liraglutide, a drug used to treat type 2 diabetes (brand name, Victoza) and obesity (brand name, Saxenda), is currently being evaluated as a possible therapy for Parkinson’s disease. Now, a new study suggests that liraglutide may also be quite effective in treating pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). The study, “Liraglutide prevents and reverses monocrotaline-induced…
Unfortunately, there is still no known cure available for pulmonary hypertension, but research has been evolving and doctors and scientists have been discovering some new ways to approach the lung condition. You might be interested in reading more about Uptravi (selexipag) as a treatment for PH. According to…
The French biotechnology company Mifcare recently announced, in a press release, that their lead anti-inflammatory compound, MFC1040 has been shown to be efficient in a second animal model of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).
Serena Lawrence, a young Canadian living with pulmonary hypertension (PH), has launched an online petition to raise public consciousness of, and draw government attention to, PH in Canada. Upon receiving her diagnosis of Stage 3-4 PH in 2013 at age 25, just three months after first showing her…
A new study published in the scientific journal Respiration suggests that bronchoscopy with transbronchial and endobronchial biopsy and transbronchial needle aspiration are safe in patients with echocardiographic evidence of PH.
Both patients newly diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and animal models of the disease show increased activity of a molecular pathway, known as NNMT-MNA (Nicotinamide N-methyltransferase and 1-methylnicotinamide), which is involved in metabolic and inflammatory reactions. The researchers behind the study, “Activation of the nicotinamide N-methyltransferase (NNMT)-1-methylnicotinamide (MNA) pathway in…
