Under
the Tent of the New ACCP Guidelines in PAH: Room for
Debate, Comment, Analysis
Publication of the new American College
of Chest Physicians (ACCP) evidence-based clinical
practice guidelines for pulmonary arterial hypertension
(PAH) represents a major advance in understanding
the diagnosis and management of the disease. For the
target audience of cardiologists, pulmonologists,
rheumatologists, internists, and other healthcare
providers involved in such care, the guidelines are
the first revision of an earlier document created
10 years ago. Lewis J. Rubin, MD, who chaired the
consensus panel, and the international panel of 19
experts from five medical specialties, deserve our
appreciation and praise for the extraordinary work
they have done during the last 3 years. We applaud
their efforts and commitment to the highest standards
of medical care.
If the guidelines cast a long shadow
over our practice because of how large they loom in
clinical decision-making, they also shed tremendous
light on areas where we need more evidence-based information.
Under the tent of the guidelines, however, there is
plenty of room for debate and comment over how the
new criteria should be applied in the myriad decisions
we make every day. As clinicians, we must often make
decisions in areas in which the evidence base is inadequate
because of the need for more data. As our Editorial
Board reviewed the guidelines, we wanted to explore
various approaches taken by clinicians involved with
PAH, especially in areas where the guidelines cannot
(of necessity) make strong recommendations.
The experts we have assembled for
this issue are not debating the relative merits of
the guidelines. Beginning on page 3, they are offering
fresh and varied perspectives, whether it is on the
use of echocardiography or the benefits of new agents
still in phase 3 clinical trials. Gleaned from their
own knowledge and practice-based experience, these
comments, queries, and insights will, it is hoped,
broaden our base of knowledge.
Cardiovascular
Medical Research and Education Fund (PDF)
Program Announcement: Mentored
Clinical Scientist Development Award (K08) &
Mentored Patient-Oriented Research Career Development
Award (K23)
(PDF)
Notes
Editorial Advisory
Board
Editor-in-Chief Richard Channick, MD
Professor of Clinical Medicine
Pulmonary and Critical Care Division
University of California, San Diego Medical Center
San Diego, California
Immediate Past Editor Ronald J. Oudiz, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA
Director, Liu Center for Pulmonary Hypertension
LA Biomedical Research Institute at Harbor-UCLA Medical Center
Editor-in-Chief Elect Erika Berman Rosenzweig, MD
Director, Pulmonary
Hypertension Center, Columbia University Medical Center Associate
Professor of Clinical Pediatrics (in Medicine)
Associate Editors
Kristin Highland, MD
Assistant Professor of Medicine
Division of Pulmonary, Critical Care, Allergy and Sleep Medicine
Medical University Of Carolina
Francisco Soto, MD, MS
Director, Pulmonary Hypertension Program
Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Medical College of Wisconsin
Todd Bull, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Robert Schilz, DO, PhD
Medical Director of Lung
Transplantation and Pulmonary Vascular Disease
University Hospital of Cleveland
Case Western Reserve University
Cleveland, Ohio
Publisher
Pulmonary Hypertension Association
Carl Hicks, Board Chair
Rino Aldrighetti, President
Sherrie Borden, Vice President, Medical and Patient Education
Publishing Staff Managing Editor
Deborah L. McBride
McBride Strategic Services
mcbridedeb@aol.com
P: 773-348-5455
C: 312-307-5455
Design Director
Michael McClain
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 by the Editor
and the Editorial Advisory Board.
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
Charles Burger, MD
Medical Director, PH Clinic
Mayo Clinic
Jacksonville, FL
Karen Fagan, M.D. Chief, Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine University of South Alabama
Eli Gabbay, MD
Lung Transplant Unit
Royal Perth Hospital
Nick Kim, M.D.
Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine
University of California San Diego
Deborah Jo Levine, M.D.
University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
San Antonio, TX
Omar Minai, MD
Dept of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Care Medicine
Myung Park, MD
Associate Professor of Medicine
Division of Pulmonary Sciences and Critical Care Medicine
University of Colorado Health Sciences Center
Fernando Torres, MD Director Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic
UTSW Medical Center Dallas
University Hospital
Glenna Traiger, RN, MSN
Pulmonary & Critical Care
Pulmonary Hypertension CNS
University of California Los Angeles
Los Angeles, CA
R. James White, MD, PhD
Assistant Professor of Medicine, Pharmacology & Physiology
University of Rochester, Division of Pulmonary and CCM
Roham Zamanian, MD
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine
Stanford University Medical Center
The
information provided on the PHA website is provided for general information
only. It is not intended as legal, medical or other professional
advice, and should not be relied upon as a substitute for consultations
with qualified professionals who are familiar with your individual
needs.
Under
the Tent of the New ACCP Guidelines in PAH: Room for
Debate, Comment, Analysis
