Pulmonary hypertension: reasonable selection of specific therapy

Abstract

Pulmonary hypertension is characterized with persistent increase in pulmonary vascular resistance leading to progressive worsening of right ventricular failure and death. The basis for pulmonary arterial hypertension is structural changes in pulmonary arteries and arterioles caused by endothelial dysfunction. Endothelin-1 is the main pathogenic trigger of pulmonary hypertension and potential target for therapeutic exposure. The efficacy of endothelin receptor antagonists is proved in various preclinical and clinical studies. In patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, the efficacy of dual and selective endothelin receptor antagonists is comparable despite the varied activity against various receptors. Bosentan is the most widely used pulmonary vasodilator which improves exercise tolerance and decelerates disease progression.