title: Targeting soluble guanylate cyclase for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension.
abstract: Pulmonary arterial hypertension is a disease characterized by a sustained increase in pulmonary arterial pressure leading to right heart failure. Current treatments focus on endothelial dysfunction and an aberrant regulatory pathway for vascular tone. Unfortunately, a large proportion of patients are unresponsive to conventional vasodilator therapy. Investigations are ongoing into the effects of experimental therapies targeting the signal transduction pathway that mediates vasodilation. Here, we briefly discuss the pathophysiology of pulmonary hypertension and endothelial dysfunction, along with current treatments. We then present a focused review of recent animal studies and human trials examining the use of activators and stimulators of soluble guanylate cyclase for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pharmacology, Tulane University School of Medicine, 1430 Tulane Avenue, SL83, New Orleans, LA 70112-72699, USA.
authors.forename: George F
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Lasker
authors.forename: Jason H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Maley
authors.forename: Edward A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Pankey
authors.forename: Philip J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kadowitz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004730:Endothelium, Vascular / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D004789:Enzyme Activation; D020536:Enzyme Activators / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019317:Evidence-Based Medicine; D065627:Familial Primary Pulmonary Hypertension; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000201:enzymology / Q000503:physiopathology; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear / Q000378:metabolism*; D000071756:Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014664:Vasodilation / Q000187:drug effects; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D020536:Enzyme Activators; D018160:Receptors, Cytoplasmic and Nuclear; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D006162:Guanylate Cyclase; D000071756:Soluble Guanylyl Cyclase