Browse Prescribing Notes by Therapeutic Subcategory

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a disease characterized by an increase of pulmonary vascular resistance leading to right-sided heart failure and premature death. There are two kinds of pulmonary hypertension: primary pulmonary arterial hypertension (PPAH), which has no known causes, and secondary pulmonary arterial hypertension (SPAH), which is either caused by or occurs because of another condition.

TREATMENTS:

PROSTACYLCIN (PGI2)
–Dilates systemic and pulmonary arterial vascular beds; inhibits platelet aggregation
–Epoprostenol, a naturally occurring prostaglandin, is infused continuously through a permanent indwelling catheter; long term therapy may delay or prevent need for lung or lung-heart transplant
–Iloprost, a synthetic analogue of prostacyclin PGI2, is formulated for inhalation via either of two pulmonary drug delivery devices: the I-neb AAD System or the Prodose AAD System

PHOSPHODIESTERASE TYPE-5 (PDE5) INHIBITOR
–Revatio (sildenafil citrate), an oral therapy for PAH
–Causes vasodilation of the pulmonary vascular bed and, to a lesser degree, vasodilation in the systemic circulation
–Metabolized via cytochrome P450 (CYP3A4); toxicity may be enhanced if given with drugs that are substrates of this enzyme