title: Pulmonary hypertension in thyroid diseases.
abstract: The influence of thyroid hormones on cardiovascular system is well established. Thyroid diseases can effectively enhance the alteration on cardiovascular system by influencing chronotropic and inotropic actions of the heart; altering the strength and the speed of contraction, the speed of relaxation, the duration of the potential of action, and the duration of the refractory period and atrio-ventricular conduction time; modulating circulation and peripheral vascular beds. One of the more intriguing insights in the connection between thyroid diseases and cardiovascular alterations is related to the evaluation of the influence of thyroid hormones on pulmonary vascular beds. Literature reported several studies regarding the association between both hypothyroidism and hyperthyroidism and the occurrence of increased vascular pulmonary arterial pressure. Nevertheless, the pathogenetic mechanisms able to explain such relationship are not fully understood. Many doubts still persist in the comprehension of the mechanisms of pulmonary hypertension in thyroid diseases. The aim of this review was to provide possible explanation about the possible interaction between pulmonary vascular beds and thyroid function in order to evaluate the possibility of novel perspectives in the general management of patients suffering from thyroid and cardiovascular diseases.
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Section, Hospital of Ostuni, ASL BR, Ostuni, Brindisi, Italy.
authors.forename: Pietro
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Scicchitano
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Ilaria
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dentamaro
authors.affiliation: Cardiology Section, Hospital of Gallipoli, ASL LE, Gallipoli, Lecce, Italy.
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Tunzi
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Gabriella
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ricci
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Santa
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Carbonara
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Fiorella
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Devito
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Annapaola
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Zito
authors.affiliation: Section of Endocrinology, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, Bari, Italy.
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Ciampolillo
authors.affiliation: Section of Cardiovascular Diseases, Department of Emergency and Organ Transplantation, University of Bari, Piazza G. Cesare 11, 70124, Bari, Italy. marcomatteo.ciccone@uniba.it.
authors.forename: Marco Matteo
authors.identifier: http://orcid.org/0000-0002-5710-4228
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Ciccone
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D015995:Prevalence; D013959:Thyroid Diseases / Q000150:complications*
keywords: Endothelial function; Hyperthyroidism; Hypothyroidism; Pulmonary hypertension; Thyroid hormones