[Drug therapy of pulmonary arterial hypertension in 2014]

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a primary pulmonary arteriolar disease, characterized by a progressive increase in pulmonary vascular resistance and pressure in the pulmonary circulation. It progressively leads to hypertrophy of the right ventricle and with no treatment to its failure and patient´s death. Etiology of pulmonary hypertension (PH) has been reclassified repeatedly, most recently during the 4th World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension held in 2008 [1]. Currently, the first group contains PAH with either unknown or known cause (systemic connective tissue disease, liver disease, congenital heart disease, HIV infection, abuse of anorexic agents). Current drug therapy of PAH is divided into conventional (anticoagulant therapy, calcium channel blockers, therapy of chronic heart failure) and specific (prostanoids, endothelium receptor antagonists, phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitors). Patients with positive vasodilator test are indicated for the high doses treatment of calcium channel blockers. Patients with negative vasodilator test are indicated for chronic anticoagulant therapy and specific drug therapy either as mono-therapy, or as combined therapy. Recent years have brought a wide range of new treatments modalities, especially in the field of pharmacotherapy. In addition, other treatment modalities have been tested, for example application of stem cells. Drugs in research include several groups: 1. vasodilators: fasudil, adrenonedullin, activators and stimulators of guanylate cyclase, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP); 2. Anti-inflammatory agents: inhibitor of elastase, antagonist of B cells, immunosuppressive agents, inhibitor of HDAC1; 3. agents affecting metabolism: nitrites, PPAR antagonists, antioxidants, serotonin receptor antagonist and serotonin transporter blockers, statins, inhibitors of Rho-kinase; 4. apoptosis inductors of smooth muscle cells: tyrosine-kinase inhibitors, elastase inhibitors; 5. agents influencing vascular regeneration: apelin, treatment targeted to endothelial cells, replacement of BMPR2.