Practical considerations for therapies targeting the prostacyclin pathway.

Harrison W Farber1, Wendy Gin-Sing2

  • 1The Pulmonary Center, Boston University School of Medicine, Boston, MA, USA hfarber@bu.edu.

Summary

Prostacyclin pathway therapies offer significant benefits for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) patients. Strategies to support patients and healthcare professionals can optimize treatment compliance and management.

Related Concept Videos

Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Prostacyclin Receptor Agonists01:23

Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Prostacyclin Receptor Agonists

Prostacyclin receptor agonists are a class of therapeutic agents integral to managing pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). These drugs operate by mimicking the action of prostaglandin I2, or PGI2, a naturally occurring compound in the body.
These agonists bind to the IPR receptor situated on the plasma membrane of the pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells. This binding triggers a cascade of reactions known as the GS-AC-cAMP-PKA pathway. This pathway results in the relaxation of smooth muscle...
570
Peripheral Artery Disease III: Interprofessional Care01:27

Peripheral Artery Disease III: Interprofessional Care

Peripheral Artery Disease (PAD) is characterized by narrowed arteries that diminish blood flow to the extremities. Effective management of PAD requires an interprofessional approach involving various healthcare professionals. The critical aspects of interprofessional care for PAD patients focus on risk factor modification, drug therapy, exercise therapy, nutrition therapy, critical limb ischemia care, and interventional radiology and surgical procedures.The primary treatment goal for PAD...
472
Antiplatelet Drugs: Prostaglandin Synthesis, P2Y12 and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors01:20

Antiplatelet Drugs: Prostaglandin Synthesis, P2Y12 and Glycoprotein IIb/IIIa Inhibitors

Antiplatelet drugs emerge as frontline defenders against the insidious threat of thromboembolic diseases, where abnormal clots obstruct vital blood vessels. These drugs stand as bulwarks, inhibiting platelet aggregation and clot formation, thereby mitigating the risk of life-threatening conditions like myocardial infarction, coronary artery disease, and thrombotic strokes.
Prostaglandin synthesis inhibitors, exemplified by the widely known aspirin, wield their power by irreversibly acetylating...
1.4K
Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care01:29

Venous Thrombosis III: Interprofessional Care

Venous thrombosis requires effective prevention and treatment strategies to improve patient outcomes and reduce potential complications.Prevention StrategiesHealthcare providers must prioritize preventing venous thromboembolism (VTE) for all adult patients upon admission. Interventions depend on bleeding and thrombosis risk, medical history, current medications, diagnoses, planned procedures, and patient preferences. Patients on bed rest should change positions every two hours and, if not...
433
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Endothelin Receptor Antagonists01:18

Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Endothelin Receptor Antagonists

Endothelins (ETs) are potent vasoactive peptides critical in the human body's various physiological and pathological processes. One of the most promising therapeutic strategies for treating pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) involves counteracting the effects of these endothelins using a class of drugs known as endothelin receptor antagonists.
ETs are synthesized through a complex sequence of enzymatic steps, primarily involving an enzyme referred to as endothelin-converting enzyme...
525
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors01:28

Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors

Phosphodiesterase 5 (PDE5) inhibitors are potent enzymes that function to hydrolyze cyclic nucleotides to their corresponding 5' monophosphates. Their unique biochemical properties have been applied in treating Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH).
Among the PDE5 inhibitors, sildenafil (Revatio) stands out as a competitive and selective inhibitor. It operates by elevating cellular levels of cGMP and augmenting signaling through the cGMP-PKG pathway, promoting vasodilation. Upon oral...
676