Blood levels of a protein called thrombospondin-2 (TSP2) — related to clinically identifiable measures of right heart structure and function — are consistently increased across patients with different types of pulmonary hypertension (PH), a study in Germany suggests. According to the researchers, these data indicate “that plasma [blood] TSP2…

About 1 in 4 people with pulmonary hypertension (PH) have right ventricle (RV) energy failure — when one of the heart’s lower chambers fails to provide enough energy to push blood to the lungs — a Turkish study found. Researchers also observed that people with RV energy failure were…

People with pulmonary hypertension (PH) who had elevated blood levels of the trimethylamine N-oxide (TMAO) molecule were at a five times greater risk of a poor prognosis than patients who didn’t have high levels, according to a recent study. High levels of this gut-derived metabolite were generally linked to…

Treatment with the approved therapy Uptravi (selexipag) safely reduces disease severity and improves heart and lung health in people with pulmonary hypertension (PH), according to a review study. Researchers recommended that Uptravi be considered for use in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) or chronic thromboembolic…

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is common among people with pulmonary hypertension (PH), and PH patients with OSA are more likely to report co-occurring health problems like diabetes and high blood pressure, a new study done at a center in China reports. In fact, the study found that more than…

Adempas (riociguat), an approved therapy for adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), was well-tolerated in children and adolescents with PAH, with no new safety signals, according to data from PATENT-CHILD — the first pediatric trial of the therapy. The medication, used off-label for pediatric PAH patients with doses tailored…

Breathing oxygen-enriched air can significantly improve exercise performance in people with pulmonary hypertension (PH) linked to heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), including those who might not use supplemental oxygen, according to a small clinical study. Better blood-oxygen levels and more efficient breathing (exchange of carbon dioxide and…

The likelihood of developing pulmonary hypertension (PH) is low among people in southern Italy, suggests a study that draws from a random and large grouping of individuals with echocardiograms, done to determine disease prevalence. Independent predictors of PH include female sex and right ventricular enlargement, its scientists noted. The study,…

Medical care for patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH) was affected during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, with some patients reporting worsening health and difficulties in accessing expert care, a worldwide survey shows. The results were published in the Orphanet Journal of Rare Diseases, in the…

When given alone or in combination with other therapies, Opsumit (macitentan) leads to clinically meaningful improvements in right heart function in people with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), according to data from a final analysis of a Phase 4 trial. Findings were announced in the presentation “…

After demonstrating an ability to deliver top-shelf care to patients with pulmonary hypertension (PH), four sites have been added to the Pulmonary Hypertension Association’s (PHA) network of Centers of Comprehensive Care (CCC). The newly accredited centers are the Cleveland Clinic in Ohio, Tufts…

Like many rare disease charities, the Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA) was formed in 1991 by four women sitting around a kitchen table in Florida, hoping for a cure. Yet the PHA is probably the only patient advocacy group that actually preserved its original kitchen table and chairs — and made…