title: Sildenafil and beraprost combination therapy in patients with pulmonary hypertension undergoing valvular heart surgery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Sildenafil and beraprost, as orally available pulmonary vasodilators, are used increasingly to treat pulmonary hypertension (PH). An evaluation was made, in patients with PH undergoing valvular heart surgery, as to whether preoperative combined oral sildenafil and beraprost treatment could induce synergistic and prolonged pulmonary vasodilation, or result in a loss of pulmonary selectivity.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fifty patients scheduled for valvular heart surgery with a mean pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP) > 30 mmHg were randomly assigned to receive either 50 mg oral sildenafil + 40 microg beraprost, or a placebo, 15 min before the induction of anesthesia. Hemodynamic variables were measured intraoperatively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The treatment group had a significantly lower systemic vascular resistance index at 60 min after medication. No other significant intergroup differences in hemodynamic variables were observed. In addition, significantly more patients in the treatment group required vasopressor therapy. In both groups, the PAP was significantly reduced by general anesthesia, and almost normalized after valvular heart surgery.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative oral sildenafil and beraprost treatment resulted in a loss of pulmonary selectivity, and did not provide any additional pulmonary vasodilation or favorable perioperative hemodynamics in patients with PH undergoing valvular heart surgery.
authors.affiliation: Department of Anesthesiology and Pain Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
authors.forename: So Yeon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Jae Kwang
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Yeon Hee
authors.initials: YH
authors.lastname: Shim
authors.forename: Seong Wook
authors.initials: SW
authors.lastname: Hong
authors.forename: Kil Hwan
authors.initials: KH
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Young Lan
authors.initials: YL
authors.lastname: Kwak
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000768:Anesthesia, General; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D015897:Comorbidity; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D005260:Female; D006349:Heart Valve Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000503:physiopathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010879:Piperazines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011687:Purines / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D013450:Sulfones / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014655:Vascular Resistance / Q000187:drug effects; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D010879:Piperazines; D011687:Purines; D013450:Sulfones; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; C048081:beraprost; D000068677:Sildenafil Citrate; D011464:Epoprostenol