This question comes up all the time in the evaluation and care of pulmonary hypertension patients. We have received a number of questions from readers asking about whether a heart catheterization is needed. I thought it might be useful to review some basics about right heart catheterization. Below are some commonly asked questions about the procedure. 1. Do I need to … [Read more...]
Diuretics and Pulmonary Hypertension
Diuretics are medications that increase your urine production. Most patients with PAH require diuretics at some point in their disease course. This is due to abnormal hormone signals that are produced by your heart, lungs and kidneys that lead to inappropriate fluid retention. In health, your salt and water balance in your body is carefully regulated. If you eat a salty … [Read more...]
Sildenafil (Revatio): Getting the Most Out of Your Medication
Sildenafil (Revatio) was approved in 2005 based on a 12-week study that showed improvements in six minute walk distance. In the initial study, there was not a clear difference between 20mg three times a day and higher doses. In a subsequent study that followed patients for years, the majority of patients increased their dose to 80mg three times daily and had lasting benefit. In … [Read more...]
Opsumit (Macitentan): Getting the Most From Your Medication
FDA Approval of Opsumit This medicine, Opsumit (Macitentan), was approved in 2014 based on a very large long-term study of 742 patients. 250 were randomized to placebo (sugar pill), 250 were randomized to 3mg once daily of Opsumit, and 242 were randomized to 10mg once daily. Patients were then followed and their rates of clinical deterioration were recorded. Exercise … [Read more...]
Common Medications that Pose Increased Risk in Pulmonary Hypertension
Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory pain medications (NSAIDS) Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory pain medications (NSAIDS) such as ibuprofen (Motrin), naproxen (Aleve), Etodolac, celecoxib (Celebrex) are all effective medications for mild to moderate pain. However, all these medications also put increased stress on your kidneys. In PAH, the kidneys are already under stress from … [Read more...]
