Pulmonary arterial hypertension is caused by abnormal changes in the pulmonary arteries of patients. These changes include increased thickness of the muscle layer of the pulmonary arteries and increased stiffness of the pulmonary arteries. Over the last 25 years, 14 medications have been approved to try and treat these changes. These medications have resulted in dramatic … [Read more...]
Stem Cell Therapy—Avoid the Scam
It has been some time since I last wrote about avoiding Stem Cell Therapy. Recently several of my patients have been suckered into this trap. Stem cells are bone marrow derived cells that have the potential to divide and become cells of any part of our body. There is great promise in trying to understand how to develop effective treatments that use these cells. … [Read more...]
Medical Marijuana and Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
Despite federal law that continues to classify marijuana as illegal, many states have legalized marijuana for medical use and some states for recreational use. The internet is full of impressive claims about the healing powers of marijuana and CBD oil and marijuana has become an enormous business that has moved from the street corner to the drug store. Fact and … [Read more...]
C76 Approved For Studies in Pulmonary Hypertension
Pulmonary arterial hypertension at its core is a disease of abnormal lung blood vessel behavior. While our currently available therapies have successfully improved the quality of life of our patients and extended their life expectancy, we still have a long way to go. PAH patients unfortunately still often face progressive symptoms over time. What is the C76 Molecule? The FDA … [Read more...]
Surgi-Center and Endoscopy Procedures in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
A common problem that I encounter in the office is when a patient with PAH needs to have a procedure such as colonoscopy, upper endoscopy or orthopedic surgery. For the average healthy person, these procedures represent minimal risk and can be done in outpatient endoscopy centers or at orthopedic hospitals. However, for patients with PAH or other advanced lung diseases these … [Read more...]
