Standard therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension

Clin Chest Med. 2007 Mar;28(1):91-115, viii. doi: 10.1016/j.ccm.2006.12.003.

Abstract

After half a century of clinical experience and research, management of pulmonary arterial hypertension remains a challenge. Currently, data to support the use of standard therapies for pulmonary arterial hypertension (oxygen supplementation, diuretics, digoxin, anticoagulation, and calcium channel blockers) are mostly retrospective, uncontrolled prospective, or derived from other diseases with similar but not identical manifestations. In the absence of any further prospective, controlled studies, it is reasonable to use these therapies when they are tolerated. When these therapies are poorly tolerated, however, the threshold for discontinuation should be low.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use
  • Calcium Channel Blockers / therapeutic use
  • Comorbidity
  • Diuretics / therapeutic use
  • Heart Failure / epidemiology
  • Heart Failure / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / epidemiology
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / physiopathology
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / therapy*
  • Nitric Oxide / physiology
  • Oxygen Inhalation Therapy
  • Sleep Apnea, Obstructive / physiopathology
  • Spironolactone / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Calcium Channel Blockers
  • Diuretics
  • Spironolactone
  • Nitric Oxide