[Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension].
BACKGROUND
A joint Task Force of the ESC and of the ERS has developed guidelines on the diagnosis and treatment of pulmonary hypertension (PH) to provide updated information on the management of patients with this condition.


BACKGROUND
The term pulmonary hypertension (PH) describes a group of devastating and life-limiting diseases, defined by mean pulmonary artery pressure >25 mmHg at rest. The diagnosis of PH requires a series of investigations intended to confirm the diagnosis, clarify the clinical group and the specific aetiology and an algorithm for this is proposed. Several drugs are currently approved to try to correct endothelial dysfunction. They lead to a significant improvement in the prognosis of patients who are in NYHA functional class II, III or IV. The evaluation of the severity of PH has a pivotal role in the choice of initial treatment and evaluation of the response to therapy in individual patients.


CONCLUSIONS
These guidelines should be widely disseminated and implemented in order to improve the management of patients with PH.


CONCLUSIONS
These guidelines summarise recent advances in the understanding and management of PH.
Sanchez
O
O
Service de pneumologie et soins intensifs, hôpital européen Georges-Pompidou, AP-HP, faculté de médecine, université Paris Descartes, 20, rue Leblanc, 75015 Paris, France. Olivier.Sanchez@egp.aphp.fr
Humbert
M
M
Sitbon
O
O
Jais
X
X
Simonneau
G
G
D000465:Algorithms; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000077300:Bosentan; D002243:Carbolines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D005060:Europe; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D010879:Piperazines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011687:Purines / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013449:Sulfonamides / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D013450:Sulfones / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068581:Tadalafil; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D002243:Carbolines; D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013449:Sulfonamides; D013450:Sulfones; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D000068581:Tadalafil; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D000077300:Bosentan