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Background: Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is hemodynamically classified as pre-capillary (as seen in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension [IPAH]) or post-capillary (as seen in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction [HFpEF]). Overlaps between these conditions exist. Some patients present with risk factors for left heart disease but pre-capillary PH, whereas patients with HFpEF may have combined pre- and post-capillary PH., Objectives: This study sought to further characterize similarities and differences among patient populations with either PH-HFpEF or IPAH., Methods: We used registry data to analyze clinical characteristics, hemodynamics, and treatment responses in patients with typical IPAH (<3 risk factors for left heart disease; n = 421), atypical IPAH (≥3 risk factors for left heart disease; n = 139), and PH-HFpEF (n = 226) receiving PH-targeted therapy., Results: Compared with typical IPAH, patients with atypical IPAH and PH-HFpEF were older, had a higher body mass index, had more comorbidities, and had a lower 6-min walking distance, whereas mean pulmonary artery pressure (46.9 ± 13.3 mm Hg vs. 43.9 ± 10.7 mm Hg vs. 45.7 ± 9.4 mm Hg, respectively) and cardiac index (2.3 ± 0.8 l/min/m(2) vs. 2.2 ± 0.8 l/min/m(2) vs. 2.2 ± 0.7 l/min/m(2), respectively) were comparable among groups. After initiation of targeted PH therapies, all groups showed improvement in exercise capacity, functional class, and natriuretic peptides from baseline to 12 months, but treatment effects were less pronounced in patients with PH-HFpEF than typical IPAH; with atypical IPAH in between. Survival rates at 1, 3, and 5 years were almost identical for the 3 groups., Conclusions: Patients with atypical IPAH share features of both typical IPAH and PH-HFpEF, suggesting that there may be a continuum between these conditions., (Copyright © 2016 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Registries of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) have been instrumental in characterizing the presentation and natural history of the disease and provide a basis for prognostication. Since the initial accumulation of data conducted in the 1980s, subsequent registry databases have yielded information about the demographic factors, treatment, and survival of patients and have permitted comparisons between populations in different eras and environments. Inclusion of patients with all subtypes of PAH has also allowed comparisons of these subpopulations. We describe herein the basic methodology by which PAH registries have been conducted, review key insights provided by registries, summarize issues related to interpretation and comparison of the results, and discuss the utility of data to predict survival outcomes. Potential sources of bias, particularly related to the inclusion of incident and/or prevalent patients and missing data, are addressed. A fundamental observation of current registries is that survival in the modern treatment era has improved compared with that observed previously and that outcomes among PAH subpopulations vary substantially. Continuing systematic clinical surveillance of PAH will be important as treatment evolves and as understanding of mechanisms advance. Considerations for future directions of registry studies include enrollment of a broader population of patients with pulmonary hypertension of all clinical types and severity and continued globalization and collaboration of registry databases., (Copyright © 2013 American College of Cardiology Foundation. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Most patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension are operable, and pulmonary endarterectomy is the treatment of choice. Pulmonary endarterectomy should not be delayed for medical therapy, and risk stratification helps to define patients likely to achieve the best outcome. Inoperable patients should be referred for trials of medical agents. Atrial septostomy is promising but underutilized, although better ways of ensuring an adequate, lasting septostomy still need to be determined. Indications for the procedure are unchanged, and it should be considered more frequently. Bilateral sequential lung or heart-lung transplantation is an important option for selected patients, and potential candidates who are class IV or III but not improving should be referred early to a transplantation center. Currently, there is a need for right ventricular assist devices with flow characteristics suited to the circulation of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension. Right ventricular synchronization therapy has not yet been tested. Novel shunts (e.g., Potts anastomosis) also hold promise. All surgery for pulmonary hypertension should be performed in centers with experience in these techniques.

The 4th World Symposium on Pulmonary Hypertension was the first international meeting to focus not only on pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) but also on the so-called non-PAH forms of pulmonary hypertension (PH). The term "non-PAH PH" summarizes those forms of PH that are found in groups 2 to 5 of the current classification of PH, that is, those forms associated with left heart disease, chronic lung disease, recurrent venous thromboembolism, and other diseases. Many of these forms of PH are much more common than PAH, but all of them have been less well studied, especially in terms of medical therapy. The working group on non-PAH PH focused mainly on 4 conditions: chronic obstructive lung disease, interstitial lung disease, chronic thromboembolic PH, and left heart disease. The medical literature regarding the role of PH in these diseases was reviewed, and recommendations regarding diagnosis and treatment of PH in these conditions are provided. Given the lack of robust clinical trials addressing PH in any of these conditions, it is important to conduct further studies to establish the role of medical therapy in non-PAH PH.

Objectives: Our goal was to investigate the effect of treatment with the oral dual endothelin receptor antagonist bosentan on the hemodynamics and exercise capacity of patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH)., Background: CTEPH is characterized by vascular obstruction and remodeling, leading to increased pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR). Although pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA) is potentially curative, medical therapy is needed in patients with inoperable disease or persistent/recurrent pulmonary hypertension after PEA., Methods: The BENEFiT (Bosentan Effects in iNopErable Forms of chronIc Thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension) study was a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled study in CTEPH including patients with either inoperable CTEPH or persistent/recurrent pulmonary hypertension after PEA (>6 months after PEA). Independent coprimary end points were change in PVR as a percentage of baseline and change from baseline in 6-min walk distance after 16 weeks of treatment with bosentan or placebo. Secondary end points included change from baseline in World Health Organization functional class and other hemodynamic parameters., Results: One hundred fifty-seven patients were enrolled and randomized: 80 to placebo, 77 to bosentan. A statistically significant treatment effect (TE) of bosentan over placebo on PVR was demonstrated: -24.1% of baseline (95% confidence interval [CI]: -31.5% to -16.0%; p < 0.0001). Total pulmonary resistance (TE: -193 dynxsxcm(-5); 95% CI: -283 to -104 dyn.s.cm(-5); p < 0.0001) and cardiac index (TE: 0.3 lxmin(-1)xm(-2); 95% CI: 0.14 to 0.46 lxmin(-1)xm(-2); p = 0.0007) improved. Mean TE on 6-min walk distance was +2.2 m (95% CI: -22.5 to 26.8 m; p = 0.5449). Bosentan treatment was well tolerated., Conclusions: This study demonstrated a positive TE of bosentan on hemodynamics in this patient population. No improvement was observed in exercise capacity. Further trials are needed to define the role of medical therapy in patients with CTEPH (Bosentan Effects in Inoperable Forms of Chronic Thromboembolic Pulmonary Hypertension; NCT00313222).

Beyond medical therapy, different interventional and surgical approaches exist for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Atrial septostomy has been applied in patients with lack of response to medical therapy in the absence of other surgical treatment options. With growing experience, procedure-related death rates have been reduced to 5.4%, and the most suitable patient group has been identified among patients with a mean right atrial pressure between 10 and 20 mm Hg. Pulmonary endarterectomy is the accepted form of treatment for patients with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Establishing the diagnosis and the classification of the type of lesions by pulmonary angiography is crucial for optimal patient selection. Perioperative mortality rates have been reduced to <10% in experienced centers, and the hemodynamic improvement is dramatic and sustained. Lung and heart-lung transplantation remains the procedure of choice for patients unsuitable for other treatment modalities. Timing of the procedure is difficult because waiting times vary between centers and usually are in a high range. Early referral of patients unresponsive to other treatment forms is therefore of importance to avoid transplantation of patients with established significant comorbidity. The survival rate during the first five years after transplantation for PAH is intermediate among the lung diseases, lower than chronic obstructive pulmonary disease but higher than idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is a disease of various origins. Nitric oxide-a potent vasodilator-is a key player of pulmonary vasoregulation. Nitric oxide signaling is mainly mediated by the guanylate cyclase/cyclic guanylate monophosphate pathway. The effects of this second messenger system are limited by enzymatic degradation through phosphodiesterases (PDEs). Recently, beneficial effects of the oral PDE-5 inhibitor sildenafil (originally approved for the treatment of erectile dysfunction) were reported for the treatment of PH. We provide a brief overview of the experimental and clinical application of PDE inhibitors in the field of PH. In particular, studies reporting the clinical effectiveness of sildenafil are highlighted. This agent, despite oral application, displays characteristics of a pulmonary selective vasodilator. In addition, evidence shows that sildenafil is operative mainly in the vasculature of well-ventilated areas of the lung. However, to date, controlled randomized trials proving the efficacy of this approach for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension are lacking. The results of such studies have to confirm the current encouraging findings before recommendations regarding the use of PDE-5 inhibitors as a new treatment for PH can be made.