November is Pulmonary Hypertension (PH) Awareness Month, when patients, caregivers, family members, and friends will come together virtually and in person to drive public recognition of the chronic heart and lung disease. The Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA), the world’s oldest and largest organization dedicated to PH, is hosting a…

Oxygen therapy may help relieve lung pressure in patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) who are about to undergo balloon pulmonary angioplasty, a procedure in which balloons are used to open blood vessels that have been chronically narrowed or blocked, according to a new study. Researchers found a decrease…

Using a healthcare cost model, researchers in the Netherlands found that an early diagnosis of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) leads to substantial life expectancy and quality of life benefits at an “acceptable” price. Although greater healthcare costs were associated with an earlier diagnosis — primarily due to the…

Many people with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension or CTEPH have a particular anatomical variation called May-Thurner anatomy, which may increase the risk of developing this rare disease type, according to researchers. A new study found this anomaly is very common in individuals with CTEPH, with nearly 30% of patients…

As part of the company’s Pulmonary Hypertension Accelerated Bayer (PHAB) Awards, Bayer is giving a total of $1 million to seven research projects related to pulmonary hypertension. The awards are aimed at projects focused on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), which makes the…

In people experiencing a pulmonary embolism, higher-than-normal arterial stiffness at the time of hospital discharge increased the risk of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) when evaluated one month later, according to a study in Italy. Given that this patient population is at risk of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension…

Intermediate-risk pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients may see their symptoms improve after switching from phosphodiesterase-5 inhibitors (PDE-5i) to Adempas (riociguat), results from the Phase 4 REPLACE clinical trial show. The transition to Adempas also appears to be a safer option than with PDE-5i maintenance therapy. The study, “Switching…

Can you imagine being denied something that could prolong your life? In a previous column, I interviewed adult pulmonary hypertension (PH) patients who are ineligible for transplant. Their responses were open, honest, and mature. But what if the patient is a child? How do parents cope with that kind…

Several proteins involved in vascular remodeling, metabolism, and oxidative stress are not properly regulated in endothelial cells from patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), a study found. The study, “Protein network analyses of pulmonary endothelial cells in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension,” was published in the journal…

People with pulmonary hypertension are less likely to be referred to exercise therapy if they are of lower socioeconomic status or perceive more barriers to accessing such therapy, a study shows. These findings highlight the need for increased education about the benefits of exercise for people with pulmonary hypertension,…

A total of approximately 5.8 new cases per one million inhabitants was found to be the most accurate value for the worldwide incidence of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), according to a review study. That incidence value — the rate of occurrence of new cases of a disease — ranged…

Soluble ST2 (sST2) protein could be an additional non-invasive biomarker for monitoring patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) undergoing interventional treatment with balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA), a study suggests. The study, “Soluble ST2 as a Biomarker for Early Complications in Patients with Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension Treated…