In a new study, researchers determined that elevated serum bilirubin levels and a low 6-minute walk distance are predictors of poor prognosis in patients with inoperable chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. The research — whose findings appear to offer important disease prognosis markers — is titled “Serum Bilirubin and 6-min Walk Distance as Prognostic Predictors…

People with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) continue to experience significant symptoms that interfere with daily life, even when receiving treatment, according to a real-world U.S. study. The study also found that people treated at Pulmonary Hypertension Association (PHA)-accredited centers tended to have more severe…

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) may be mitigated by pulmonary thromboendarterectomy, which prevents the need for lung transplant, a new case report shows. The study, “Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy for Pulmonary Hypertension Before Considering Transplant,” appeared in The Ochsner Journal. CTEPH is observed in approximately 4% of cases…

An international study to assess clinical practices in the diagnosis and management of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) found several differences in CTEPH management among regions, but also a gap between guideline procedures and real-life practice of diagnosis and treatment. The study, “An International Physician Survey of…

Vanderbilt Heart & Vascular Institute (VHVI) is offering a novel and specialized surgical approach for treating patients suffering from chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), a form of pulmonary hypertension (PH) that can cause breathing difficulties, acute pulmonary embolism, or blood clots in the lung. Even though the condition…

A team of researchers has published their results assessing left atrial volume in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) patients before and after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE), a surgical procedure that removes organized, clotted blood from the pulmonary arteries. When the body cannot reabsorb a pulmonary embolism (PE), clots…

Bayer Healthcare recently announced the approval of its novel drug Adempas (riociguat), which has been listed by the Régie de l’assurance malady du Québec (RAMQ), the Québec public formulary, as the one and only treatment option for patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). Québec is the first province to provide Adempas…

The vasodilator Adempas (riociguat) increases the ability of endothelial progenitor cells to halt vascular remodeling and enhance formation of new blood vessels in chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), according to a new in vitro (in the lab) study. This may be particularly helpful for CTEPH patients…

The specific benefits of balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) on the respiratory function of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) depends on what area of the lung, or lung field, the procedure is performed on, according to new research. This finding was published in the article “Effect Of Balloon Pulmonary Angioplasty…

Approximately 5,000 Americans are diagnosed with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) each year. The condition is a result of persistent obstruction of pulmonary blood vessels due to unresolved blood clots from previous episodes of acute pulmonary embolism. If patients do not receive treatment for CTEPH, they may develop…

Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy (PTE) quickly and significantly improved blood flow dynamics and right-sided heart function in people with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), with the surgery’s benefits sustained over the long term, a small study shows. Notably, right ventricular (RV) free wall strain, an indirect and non-invasive measure of…

Increased lung arterial obstruction is significantly associated with greater airflow obstruction in people with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and without a smoking history, a study shows. Notably, airflow obstruction, reflected by a reduced ability to exhale quickly, was lessened with reduced arterial obstruction and improved blood flow following…