Clinical study on long-term treatment of primary pulmonary hypertension with continuous intravenous epoprostenol infusion

• Published in: Chung-hua nei kʿo tsa chih Vol. 42; no. 2; p. 106
• Main Authors: Cao, Tie-sheng, Yuan, Li-jun, Duan, Yun-you, Wang, Zuo-jun, Zhuang, Lei, Shapiro, Shelley M, Brundage, Bruce H
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Chinese
• Published: China 01.02.2003
• Subjects: Adolescent; Adult; Aged; Antihypertensive Agents - administration & dosage; Child; Epoprostenol - administration & dosage; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Heart Failure - drug therapy; Humans; Hypertension, Pulmonary - drug therapy; Infusions, Intravenous; Male; Middle Aged
• ISSN: 0578-1426

To observe the effects of treatment with long-term continuous epoprostenol (Epo) infusion on the survival and pulmonary artery pressure in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH). Sixty nine patients with PPH and congestive heart failure of stage III or IV (classification by New York Heart Association) treated with Epo of initial dose of 2 - 62 ng x kg(-1) x min(-1) (the dosage was enhanced by 1 - 2 ng x kg(-1) x min(-1) every 2 months according to patient's response). All patients underwent right heart catheterization and Doppler echocardiography to measure the systolic pressure gradient between the right ventricle and right atrium (DeltaP) and the cardiac output (CO). Doppler echocardiography and catheterization data were compared. Patients were followed up with echocardiography once every 4 months. Of 69 patients treated with Epo 17 were followed up for > 330 days. During this period, DeltaP decreased from (84.1 +/- 24.1) mm Hg to (62.7 +/- 18.2) mm Hg (P < 0.01), CO increased from (4.00 +/- 1.2