Clinical Pharmacology of Pulmonary arterial hypertension with Recent advances. Discusses pathobiology, symptomatology, diagnostics and pharmacotherapy of PAH
4. Introduction (1/3)
Pulmonary arterial pressure (PAP)- mean PAP of 25 mm Hg or
greater at rest > 20 mm Hg
Function of CO & PVR
low-resistance and low-pressure circulatory system
PAH- mean > 25 mm hg- additional stress on the RV- RV
dysfunction and hypertrophy
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5. Intro(2/3)
Heterogenous disease
Pathogenic remodeling of the pulmonary vasculature
Increased pulmonary artery pressure & vascular resistance
M/c causes:
• left heart pathology
• 1o lung disease
• late complication of luminal pulmonary embolism
High mortality rate
• decompensated right heart failure
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*Harrisons- 22 ed.
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6. Intro(3/3)
mean pulmonary artery pressure (mPAP):
• lowered from ≥25 mmHg to >20 mmHg
expedition in diagnosis (2 yrs)
• common important implications both QALY and life span
median survival in untreated disease is 2.8 years, with modern therapies, the
median survival has been estimated to be about 9 years*
no approved targeted therapies for PH
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8. (1/2)
Dyspnea and/or fatigue, edema, chest pain, presyncope, and syncope associated with
more advanced disease
Right ventricular failure with elevated jugular venous pressure
Accentuated P2 component of the S2
Right-sided S3 or S4 and a holosystolic tricuspid regurgitant murmur
It is also important to seek signs of the diseases that are commonly concurrent with PH:
clubbing may be seen
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9. (2/2)
In some chronic lung diseases, sclerodactyly and telangiectasia may signify
scleroderma CREST
crackles on examination of the lungs and systemic
hypertension may be clues to left-sided systolic or diastolic heart failure.
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16. Patho (3/3)
Imp. Variant: vasoconstriction-dominant phenotype
Other variants: PAH, CTEPH
Genetic & molecular level:
• decreased expression of the voltage-regulated potassium channel
• mutations in bone morphogenetic protein receptor-2
• increased tissue factor expression
• overactivation of the serotonin transporter
• Hypoxia induced activation of hypoxia-inducible factor-1α
• activation of nuclear factor of activated T cells
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18. Strategy
Pulmonary vasodilation
Exert antiproliferative or proapoptotic effects on highly proliferative cells in the
pulmonary vascular wall (e.g., myofibroblasts)
Prevent/ resolve in situ thrombosis in small arteries and precapillary arterioles
Exert antifibrotic effects to attenuate extracellular matrix stiffness
Reduce pulmonary vascular wall stiffness due to myogenic tone and cholesterol-
associated membrane stiffness
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19. Pharmacotherapy
Rx strategy: Sequential combination therapy with addition of other class of drugs as ds. progresses:
• + NO & cGMP/ PKG signaling
• membrane receptor agonists/ antagonists
• ion channel blockers and openers
ERAs, PDE5 inhibitors or sGC stimulators-first-line agents
most severe PAH patients parenteral therapy with
• epoprostenol
• treprostinil
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20. Nitric Oxide
Preferentially vasodilating better-ventilated lung regions from poorly inflated lung areas
Inhaled NO is a selective pulmonary vasodilator
A/c and specific effect- Very short t1/2
E- 70% as NO3- Urine
Uses:
• Persistent pulm. HTN of newborn
• a/c hypoxemic resp. failure
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28. Calcium Channel Blockers (CCBs)
Vasoreactivity testing
initiated with a low dose of long-acting nifedipine, amlodipine, diltiazem, or verapamil
increased to the maximal tolerated dose
SBP , HR & O2 saturation - carefully monitored during titration
Sustained-release preparations of nifedipine, verapamil, and diltiazem are available
ADR- hypotension, while pulmonary vasodilation may reduce HPV Loss or inhibition of HPV can
worsen V/Q mismatch and cause hypoxemia, deterioration of RV function
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35. Conclusion
Imbalance of vasoactive mediators, mitogenic and
angiogenic factors& pro/antiapoptotic proteins plays an
important role in PAH development
Pharmacological agents employed in PAH are focused on
restoring the balance between contraction and
proliferation the one hand and relaxation and
antiproliferation on the other
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