Future perspectives for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension.
Over the past 2 decades, pulmonary arterial hypertension has evolved from a uniformly fatal condition to a chronic, manageable disease in many cases, the result of unparalleled development of new therapies and advances in early diagnosis. However, none of the currently available therapies is curative, so the search for new treatment strategies continues. With a deeper understanding of the genetics and the molecular mechanisms of pulmonary vascular disorders, we are now at the threshold of entering a new therapeutic era. Our working group addressed what can be expected in the near future. The topics span the understanding of genetic variations, novel antiproliferative treatments, the role of stem cells, the right ventricle as a therapeutic target, and strategies and challenges for the translation of novel experimental findings into clinical practice.
Ghofrani
Hossein A
HA
University of Giessen Lung Center, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg GmbH, Giessen, Germany; Medical Clinic IV and V, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg GmbH, Giessen, Germany. Electronic address: ardeschir.ghofrani@uglc.de.
Barst
Robyn J
RJ
Columbia University, New York, New York.
Benza
Raymond L
RL
Drexel University College of Medicine, Section of Heart Failure, Transplantation, and Pulmonary Hypertension Program, Allegheny General Hospital, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania.
Champion
Hunter C
HC
Division of Cardiology, Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland.
Fagan
Karen A
KA
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama.
Grimminger
Friedrich
F
University of Giessen Lung Center, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg GmbH, Giessen, Germany; Medical Clinic IV and V, University Hospital Giessen and Marburg GmbH, Giessen, Germany.
Humbert
Marc
M
Université Paris-Sud, Service de Pneumologie, Hôpital Antoine-Béclère, Clamart, France.
Simonneau
Gérald
G
Université Paris-Sud, Service de Pneumologie, Hôpital Antoine-Béclère, Clamart, France.
Stewart
Duncan J
DJ
Ottawa Health Research Institute, Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Ventura
Carlo
C
University of Bologna, Laboratory of Molecular Biology and Stem Cell Engineering, National Institute of Biostructures and Biosystems, Institute of Cardiology, S.Orsola-Malpighi Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
Rubin
Lewis J
LJ
University of California, San Diego, Medical Center, La Jolla, California.
D002908:Chronic Disease; D016232:Endothelins / Q000502:physiology; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000166:cytology; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins / Q000502:physiology; D006333:Heart Failure / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D009249:NADP / Q000502:physiology; D045265:Natriuretic Peptides / Q000502:physiology; D018919:Neovascularization, Physiologic; D018384:Oxidative Stress; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / Q000502:physiology; D011110:Polymorphism, Genetic; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species / Q000378:metabolism; D013234:Stem Cells / Q000502:physiology; D020257:Ventricular Remodeling / Q000502:physiology
D016232:Endothelins; D045265:Natriuretic Peptides; D010982:Platelet-Derived Growth Factor; D017382:Reactive Oxygen Species; D009249:NADP; D019204:GTP-Binding Proteins