Prostacyclin in the intensive care setting.
The prostacyclins-prostanoids were one of the first medications used to treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Three prostanoids have been developed to treat PAH: epoprostenol, treprostinil, and iloprost. In the acute setting, experience is growing, using the inhaled forms of these three medications. Inhalation may improve ventilation/perfusion matching, whereas in the intravenous form these medications may cause nonselective pulmonary vasodilation and may worsen ventilation/perfusion matching. Currently, there are no universal recommendations for dosing delivery of inhaled prostanoids to intubated patients in the intensive care unit setting.
Ivy
D Dunbar
DD
Department of Pediatrics, University of Colorado Denver School of Medicine, The Children's Hospital, Aurora, CO, USA. ivy.dunbar@tchden.org
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D003422:Critical Care; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy*; D016285:Iloprost / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D011464:Epoprostenol; D016285:Iloprost; C427248:treprostinil