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Winter 2002, Vol. 1, No. 3

Editor’s Memo   The Prostacyclin Story: From Discovery to Future Directions Until recent years, the concept of treating pulmonary arterial hypertension through a variety of mediators and mechanisms seemed beyond our grasp. As much as it is routinely done in other illnesses, the possibility of applying this concept in pulmonary hyperten-sion was remote. This picture has radically changed, however, with the introduction of new agents that may be used in conjunction with prostacyclin and its analogs. The revolution in therapy started with the man profiled in this issue, Sir John Vane, a Nobel Prize win-ner recognized for his work in prostaglandin research. Perhaps the theme of this issue should be that the revolu-tion continues. After paying a debt of gratitude to Dr Vane, our story about prostacyclin continues throughout this issue. We explore the need to develop prostacyclin analogs to over-come the limitations of the epoprostenol delivery system, elaborate on the intriguing work with inhaled iloprost, and round it up with a roundtable discussion ranging across the spectrum of issues involving prostacyclin. We are also grate-ful to Bruce Brundage, MD, president of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association, who provided the images for this issue's cover. Slowly, but with encouraging progress, we are getting to the point where we will better understand how to treat pul-monary arterial hypertension through a variety of mediators and mechanisms. There is still much to be discovered about prostacyclin—for example, how precisely does the medication work? When we discover its true mechanisms and determine how it can be used in combination with other treatments, perhaps the revolution in therapy will have achieved its goals. Victor F. Tapson, MD Editor-in-Chief   Take it With You   Download this issue in PDF(573 KB)   Issue Sponsors   Actelion(PDF) Accredo Therapeutics(PDF)	Articles   Advances in Pulmonary Hypertension, Winter 2002, Vol. 1, No. 3 cover close-up Click titles to read stories... A Nobel Prize Winner Who Triggered a Revolution in Therapy Winner of the Nobel Prize in medicine. The researcher who discovered prostacyclin, the most widely prescribed drug in pulmonary hypertension. The pioneer who uncovered the mode of action of aspirin. Knighted in 1984... Continuous Intravenous Epoprostenol for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Highlighting Practical Issues, Special Considerations Continuous intravenous epoprostenol sodium (Flolan ® ) is a long-term, complex, and expensive therapy. Its pivotal role in the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is based on randomized studies that clearly established clinical efficacy. Oral and Subcutaneous Prostacyclin Analogs: Analyzing the Latest Evidence on Efficacy and Safety Epoprostenol therapy has revolutionized the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).1-3 Patients realized an improvement in quality of life, hemodynamics, and survival and this therapy has offered hope to patients with advanced disease. Inhaled Iloprost for Treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Inhaled therapy for pulmonary hypertension is an interesting concept as it offers selectivity of hemodynamic effects for the lung vasculature, thus avoiding systemic side effects. Pulmonary Hypertension Roundtable Bench to Bedside: Principles and Practice of Epoprostenol Therapy, from Maximizing Benefit to Minimizing Side Effects Featuring: Ivan Robbins, MD David Langleben, MD Michael McGoon, MD Abby Krichman, RRT Clinical Algorithm Elective Initiation of Epoprostenol (PDF)       PHA Announcements   2003 Postdoctoral Fellowship Awards Application Process (PDF)
Notes   Editorial Advisory Board Editor-in-Chief Ronald J. Oudiz, MD Associate Professor of Medicine UCLA School of Medicine Director, Liu Center for Pulmonary Hypertension Division of Cardiology Los Angeles Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center Torrance, California Immediate Past Editor Vallerie V. McLaughlin, MD Associate Professor of Medicine Director, Pulmonary Hypertension Program University of Michigan Health System Ann Arbor, Michigan Editor-in-Chief Elect Richard Channick, MD Professor of Clinical Medicine Pulmonary and Critical Care Division University of California, San Diego Medical Center San Diego, California Associate Editors Erika Berman Rosenzweig, MD Assistant Professor of Pediatrics Department of Pediatrics Columbia College of Physicians and Surgeons New York, New York Robert Frantz, MD Consultant in Cardiovascular Diseases and Internal Medicine Assistant Professor of Medicine Mayo Clinic College of Medicine Rochester, Minnesota Srinivas Murali, MD, FACC Professor of Medicine Drexel University College of Medicine Director, Division of Cardiovascular Medicine Medical Director, Gerald McGinnis Cardiovascular Institute Allegheny General Hospital Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania Publisher Pulmonary Hypertension Association Jack Stibbs, Board Chair Rino Aldrighetti, President Donica Merhazion, Medical Services Associate Director Publishing Staff Stu Chapman, Executive Editor Susan Chapman, Managing Editor Heidi Green, Associate Editor Gloria Catalano, Production Director Michael McClain, Design Director PHA Office Pulmonary Hypertension Association 801 Roeder Road., St.e 400 Silver Spring, MD 20910 301-565-3004, 301-565-3994 (fax) www.PHAssociation.org Provided with an unrestricted educational grant from Actelion Pharmaceuticals, U.S., Inc. and Accredo Therapeuticss. © 2006 by Pulmonary Hypertension Association and DataMedica. All rights reserved. None of the contents may be reproduced in any form whatsoever without the written permission of PHA. Editorial Offices Advances in Pulmonary Hypertension DataMedica 424 Dune Road Westhampton Beach, NY 11978 Tel: 631-288-7733 Fax: 631- 288-7744 Advances in Pulmonary Hypertension is circulated to cardiologists, pulmonologists, rheumatologists and other selected physicians by the Pulmonary Hypertension Association . The contents of the articles are independently determined ly the Editor and the Editorial Advisory Board. PHA's Scientific Leadership Council Editorial Mission Advances in Pulmonary Hypertension is committed to help physicians in their clinical decision making by informing them of important trends affecting their practice. Analyzing the impact of new findings and covering current information in the peer-reviewed literature, Advances in Pulmonary Hypertension is published four times a year. Advances in Pulmonary Hypertension is the official journal of the Pulmonary Hypertension Association. Each article in this journal has been reviewed and approved by members of the Editorial Advisory Board.   Editorial Board Todd Bull, MD Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine University of Colorado Health Sciences Center Denver, Colorado Murali Chakinala, MD Director, Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic Washington University School of Medicine St. Louis, Missouri Kristin Highland, MD Assistant Professor Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Director, Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic Medical University of South Carolina Charleston, South Carolina Jim Maloney, MD Associate Professor of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine University of Colorado Health Sciences Center Denver, Colorado Ioana Preston, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine Tufts - New England Medical Center Boston, Massachusetts Zeenat Safdar, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine Department of Medicine, Pulmonary & Critical Care Section Pulmonary Hypertension Center Baylor College of Medicine Houston, Texas Rajan Saggar, MD Assistant Professor Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine and Hospitalists David Geffen School of Medicine UCLA Los Angeles, California Robert Schilz, DO, PhD Medical Director of Lung Transplantation and Pulmonary Vascular Disease University Hospital of Cleveland Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, Ohio Francisco Soto, MD, MS Assistant Professor Director, Pulmonary Hypertension Program Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, Wisconsin Roxana Sulica, MD Assistant Professor of Medicine Albert Einstein College of Medicine Director, Beth Israel Pulmonary Hypertension Program Beth Israel Medical Center New York, New York

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