[Use of nitrates in the symptomatic treatment of pulmonary hypertension]

Symptomatic treatment of pulmonary hypertension aims at reducing right ventricular afterload in order to delay the development of ventricular failure. First trials with nitrates in the treatment of various forms of pulmonary hypertension show positive results in some patients in whom a decrease in the pulmonary pressure and total pulmonary resistance was observed both in acute experiment and chronic nitrate administration. Further studies are required to determine a definite role of nitrates in the symptomatic treatment of pulmonary hypertension.