title: Pulmonary arterial hypertension: a current review of pharmacological management.
abstract: Pulmonary hypertension (PHTN) is a rare and devastating disease characterized by progressive increases in pulmonary arterial pressure and pulmonary vascular resistance, which eventually leads to right ventricular failure and death. At present there is no cure for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH); however over the past decade targeted pharmaceutical options have become available for the treatment of PAH. Prior to evaluation for therapeutic options a definitive diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension must be made via comprehensive physical exam and definitive diagnostic testing. Screening test of choice remains echocardiography and gold standard for definitive diagnosis is right heart catheterization. Once the establishment of a diagnosis of PAH is made therapeutic options may be a possibility based on a diagnostic algorithm and disease severity of the PAH patient. There are different classes of medications available with different mechanisms of actions which net a vasodilatory effect and improve exercise tolerance, quality of life as well and survival.
authors.forename: Sonu
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sahni
authors.forename: Marcin
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Ojrzanowski
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Majewski
authors.affiliation: North Shore - LIJ Health System Department of Pulmonary, Critical Care and Sleep Medicine. arunabhtalwar1@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Arunabh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Talwar
mesh_terms: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D019468:Disease Management; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D004452:Echocardiography; D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017079:Exercise Tolerance; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000188:drug therapy*; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011788:Quality of Life; D014665:Vasodilator Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D065128:Endothelin Receptor Antagonists; D058986:Phosphodiesterase 5 Inhibitors; D014665:Vasodilator Agents; D011464:Epoprostenol
keywords: endothelin receptor antagonist; phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors; prostacyclin analogues; pulmonary arterial hypertension; right heart catheterization