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E A Ushkalova1, S K Zyryanov, K E Zatolochina
1Peoples Friendship University of Russia (RUDN University). eushk@yandex.ru.
Insights
Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is treatable. Riociguat is the only approved drug demonstrating efficacy for inoperable or persistent CTEPH, improving patient outcomes.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Pulmonology
- Pharmacology
Background:
- Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a potentially curable condition.
- Pulmonary thromboendarterectomy is the gold standard treatment, but 40% of patients are inoperable.
- Many patients experience persistent or recurrent pulmonary hypertension post-surgery.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and treatment of CTEPH.
- To evaluate the efficacy of pharmacotherapy in patients with CTEPH.
- To highlight riociguat as a targeted therapy for CTEPH.
Main Methods:
- Review of clinical studies on targeted drug therapies for CTEPH.
- Analysis of data on endothelin receptor antagonists, prostanoids, PDE5 inhibitors, and sGC stimulators.
- Focus on studies investigating riociguat's efficacy and safety.
Main Results:
- Riociguat demonstrated robust clinical efficacy in improving hemodynamic parameters, exercise capacity, and quality of life.
- Short-term and long-term studies (up to 6 years) confirmed riociguat's benefits.
- Riociguat is approved in over 50 countries for inoperable and persistent/recurrent CTEPH.
Conclusions:
- Riociguat is the only pharmacological agent approved for inoperable CTEPH and persistent or recurrent CTEPH post-pulmonary thromboendarterectomy in many regions.
- Riociguat offers a vital treatment option for patients unsuitable for surgery or with residual disease.
- Targeted pharmacotherapy, particularly with riociguat, significantly improves outcomes in CTEPH management.
Abstract:
In this paper we have discussed epidemiology, pathogenesis, and approaches to treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH). CTEPH is a unique potentially curable form of pulmonary hypertension. The gold standard of CTEPH treatment is pulmonary thromboendarterectomy. However, about 40% of patients with CTEPH are inoperable due to distal surgically inaccessible lesions of the pulmonary vasculature, severe hemodynamic impairments, or other contraindications. In addition, nearly half of patients have persistent or recurrent pulmonary hypertension following surgery. Current guidelines support the use of pharmacotherapy in these patients. In the article we have presented results of main clinical studies of targeted drugs therapy (endothelin receptor antagonists, prostanoids, phosphodiesterase type 5 inhibitors, soluble guanylate cyclase stimulators) of patients with CTEPH. The only drug that has demonstrated robust clinical efficacy in terms of improvment hemodynamic parameters, exercise capacity and patients' quality of life is the stimulator of the soluble guanylate cyclase riociguat. The efficacy and safety of riociguat have been investigated in short-term and long-term studies with follow-up up to 6 years. Results of these studies have constituted the basis forits approval by the regulatory authorities of more than 50 countries for the treatment of inoperable CTEPH and persistent or recurrent CTEPH after pulmonary thromboendarterectomy. In the European Union, USA and many other countries, riociguat is the only pharmacological agent approved for these indications.