Updates on Pulmonary Hypertension

Abstract

Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) is an uncommon condition with high mortality. It is an underrecognized condition both in developing and developed countries, especially in developing countries, due to a lack of advanced healthcare facilities and resources for timely diagnosis. More than half of the individuals diagnosed with PAH live less than five years after diagnosis. In recent years, tremendous advancements have been made in diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for PAH patients. Phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors, endothelin receptor antagonists, and prostacyclin inhibitors in various forms (oral, inhaled, intravenous, or subcutaneous) have been the cornerstone of medical treatment. Atrial septostomy, heart and lung transplant, balloon pulmonary angioplasty, and pulmonary thromboendarterectomy are existing therapeutic options currently available. There has been a continuous effort to introduce newer therapies to improve life expectancy and modify disease. Newer therapies have shown promising results but require future data to guarantee long-term safety and efficacy. We aim to discuss a few of these critical updates in the constantly evolving field of PAH.