title: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension--a diagnostic and therapeutic update.
abstract: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH), an important cause of severe pulmonary hypertension, is still underdiagnosed, mainly due to the insufficient use of V/Q scannning in patients with pulmonary hypertension. This article reviews the current diagnostic approach and discusses the therapeutic options in this particular form of pulmonary hypertension. Every patient with CTEPH should undergo an evaluation in a specialised centre with experience in pulmonary arterial endarteriectomy (PEA) as the potentially curative surgical technique. Partly unresolved questions regard the status of the recently described percutaneous transluminal pulmonary angioplasty and the best medical treatment in patients with inoperable or recurrent/persistent pulmonary hypertension after PEA.
authors.affiliation: 1 Angiology, Ospedale La Carità, Locarno, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Hans
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Stricker
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000800:Angioplasty, Balloon; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D002908:Chronic Disease; D004691:Endarterectomy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006976:Hypertension, Pulmonary / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D055420:Perfusion Imaging / Q000379:methods; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011651:Pulmonary Artery / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D011655:Pulmonary Embolism / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000959:Antihypertensive Agents
keywords: Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension; diagnosis; pulmonary thrombarteriectomy; riociguat; therapy