TREATMENT
You’ve been diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension… now what? Although there is currently no cure for pulmonary hypertension, there are treatment options available and more are on the horizon. Treatments include conventional medical therapies and oral, inhaled, intravenous (into the vein) and subcutaneous (into the skin) options. Depending on the severity of PH, heart or lung transplant may also be an option.
Remember that each patient is different. It is essential that you talk to your own doctor about what treatment options are best for you.
Fact Sheets Issued by PHA’s Scientific Leadership Council
Conventional Medical Therapies
- Calcium Channel Blockers (CCB) – Help decrease blood pressure (Only appropriate for a small minority of patients demonstrating a favorable response to vasodilator testing at the time of heart catheterization.)
- Digoxin – Assists the pumping of the heart
- Diuretics – Rids excess fluid that puts pressure on the heart
- Oxygen – Inhaled by patients via a nasal cannula or face mask
- Warfarin (Coumadin®) – “Thins” blood and prevents it from clotting
Read more about conventional medical therapies
Oral Treatment Options
Endothelin Receptor Antagonists (ERAs) help prevent blood vessels from narrowing.
Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors (PDE 5 Inhibitors) allow the lungs to produce more of its own natural vasodilators.
Inhaled Treatment Options
Inhaled Treatment Options, such as prostacyclins, relieve shortness of breath.
Intravenous Treatment Options
Intravenous Treatment Options open up the blood vessels and help ease symptoms of PH, including chest pain and shortness of breath.
Subcutaneous Treatment Options
Subcutaneous Treatment Options are delivered through a portable infusion pump to open up the blood vessels and ease the symptoms of PH.
Lung Transplantation
Lung Transplantation might be appropriate for some patients. Read more from PHA’s Scientific Leadership Council.