Related Experiment Video
Updated: May 11, 2026

A Model of Reverse Vascular Remodeling in Pulmonary Hypertension Due to Left Heart Disease by Aortic Debanding in Rats
Published on: March 1, 2022
Reversible Dasatinib-Associated Pulmonary Hypertension Managed With Dual Therapy and Hemodynamic-Guided Withdrawal
Guillermo Torroba Balmori1, Edgardo Maxim Alania Torres1, Ydelise M Rodríguez Pichardo2
1Department of Cardiology, Dénia Hospital, Alicante, Spain.
Background:
Dasatinib is a recognized cause of drug-induced pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), which may occasionally present with severe hemodynamic compromise. Evidence regarding optimal management and safe withdrawal of targeted therapy after recovery remains limited.
Case Summary:
A 41-year-old woman with chronic myeloid leukemia treated with dasatinib presented with rapidly progressive dyspnea and right heart failure, requiring intensive care admission due to cardiac tamponade. Right heart catheterization confirmed high-risk precapillary PAH (mean pulmonary artery pressure: 40 mm Hg; pulmonary vascular resistance: 8 Wood units). Dasatinib was permanently discontinued, and initial dual oral PAH therapy with macitentan and tadalafil was started, leading to rapid clinical, functional, and echocardiographic improvement. Hemodynamic reassessment demonstrated complete normalization, allowing sequential withdrawal of pulmonary vasodilator therapy under close follow-up. The patient remained asymptomatic with a sustained low-risk profile after complete treatment discontinuation.
Discussion:
This case highlights the potential reversibility of dasatinib-associated PAH and the role of invasive reassessment to guide safe therapy de-escalation.
Take-Home Message:
Dasatinib-associated PAH can be fully reversible, and hemodynamic-guided withdrawal of therapy may be feasible in selected patients.
Related Concept Videos
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors and Calcium Channel Blockers
TKIs, such as imatinib (Gleevec), are particularly effective in tackling the growth and mitogenic factors that become upregulated in PAH patients. These factors contribute to the...
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Endothelin Receptor Antagonists
ETs are synthesized through a complex sequence of enzymatic steps, primarily involving an enzyme referred to as endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE). Of...
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors
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...
Heart Failure V: Medical Management
Heart Failure Drugs: Inhibitors of Renin-Angiotensin System
Treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: Prostacyclin Receptor Agonists
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...

