Current treatments for pulmonary arterial hypertension remain non-curative, with approximately 15% of patients dying within 1 year of medical follow-up despite therapy.
This review highlights the shift in PAH therapeutic strategies from inducing pulmonary artery relaxation to targeting vascular remodeling.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a vascular remodeling disease that pathologically increases pulmonary vascular resistance. Ultimately, this leads to right ventricular failure and premature death. Current therapeutic strategies are mainly designed to induce relaxation of the pulmonary arteries, but are not directly aimed to improve vascular remodeling that characterize PAH. Although these treatments modestly improve patient symptoms, pulmonary hemodynamics and survival, none of them are curative and approximately 15% of patients die within 1 year of medical follow-up despite treatment. Within the last 5 years, tremendous advances in our understanding of the PAH pathophysiology have arisen. These advances have a high potential for the development of better patient care by providing novel therapeutic targets. The goal of this report is to review the current PAH treatments, as well as novel therapies that will pave the future in this devastating disease.
Malenfant et al. (Wed,) conducted a review in Pulmonary arterial hypertension. Current and novel therapies was evaluated. Current treatments for pulmonary arterial hypertension remain non-curative, with approximately 15% of patients dying within 1 year of medical follow-up despite therapy.