Future perspectives for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension

J Am Coll Cardiol. 2009 Jun 30;54(1 Suppl):S108-S117. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2009.04.014.

Abstract

Over the past 2 decades, pulmonary arterial hypertension has evolved from a uniformly fatal condition to a chronic, manageable disease in many cases, the result of unparalleled development of new therapies and advances in early diagnosis. However, none of the currently available therapies is curative, so the search for new treatment strategies continues. With a deeper understanding of the genetics and the molecular mechanisms of pulmonary vascular disorders, we are now at the threshold of entering a new therapeutic era. Our working group addressed what can be expected in the near future. The topics span the understanding of genetic variations, novel antiproliferative treatments, the role of stem cells, the right ventricle as a therapeutic target, and strategies and challenges for the translation of novel experimental findings into clinical practice.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Chronic Disease
  • Endothelins / physiology
  • Endothelium, Vascular / cytology
  • GTP-Binding Proteins / physiology
  • Heart Failure / epidemiology
  • Heart Failure / physiopathology
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / drug therapy
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / epidemiology
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / genetics
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / physiopathology
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / therapy*
  • NADP / physiology
  • Natriuretic Peptides / physiology
  • Neovascularization, Physiologic
  • Oxidative Stress
  • Platelet-Derived Growth Factor / physiology
  • Polymorphism, Genetic
  • Reactive Oxygen Species / metabolism
  • Stem Cells / physiology
  • Ventricular Remodeling / physiology

Substances

  • Endothelins
  • Natriuretic Peptides
  • Platelet-Derived Growth Factor
  • Reactive Oxygen Species
  • NADP
  • GTP-Binding Proteins