Nestled in my cozy swing chair on the patio, I’m soaking up the brisk wind that playfully tosses my hair. I’m listening to the sweet melody of my wind chimes, a thoughtful gift from my husband, Manny. Sunlight dances through the miniature stained-glass hot-air balloon atop the chimes. The color and light are like a beacon. The sun’s warmth and the gentle breeze announce spring’s arrival, a welcomed season of renewal. Now that the rainy season is over here in Southern California, I’m thankful for the sun. Warmer temperatures bring the promise of more days spent at my sanctuary, the beach, wher ..read more

Despite more women being affected by pulmonary hypertension (PH), men with the cardiovascular disease had worse right ventricular function and lower odds of transplant-free survival relative to their female counterparts, a study found. In a large group of patients with various types of PH, sex differences in function of the right ventricle (RV) were most notable where pulmonary vascular resistance (PVR), an indicator of resistance to blood flow in the vessels of the lungs, was not severely elevated. The study, “Male Sex Is Associated With Worse Right Ventricular Function and Survival in Pulmo ..read more

Most people with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) due to connective tissue disease (CTD) who are using Opsumit (macitenan) do so as part of a combination therapy, according to real-world evidence from two U.S. drug registry studies. Its safety and effectiveness, in terms of clinical outcomes, for these patients were comparable to people with idiopathic (of unknown cause) or hereditary PAH, more common disease types. “We show that macitentan [Opsumit] is used in newly diagnosed and prevalent patients with CTD-PAH … as part of a combination therapy regimen in the majority of patients,” the ..read more

When living with a chronic illness, countless situations arise that require one to prioritize health above all else. When I was growing up and my friends and peers were expanding their horizons, I often decided to take a back seat to focus on self-preservation. These sacrifices became even more common when I attended college. I’d stay back while my friends went to Colorado for a concert, knowing the altitude would be hard on my lungs. When they spent a month traveling in Europe, a trip my doctors never would’ve approved, I remained on campus and studied. When weekend parties involved drinking ..read more

Winrevair (sotatercept-csrk), the under-the-skin injectable treatment recently approved in the U.S. for adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), is expected to be available for dispensing at CVS and Accredo pharmacies by late April, Merck reports. Winrevair’s distribution network will continue to be evaluated after its commercial launch, a Merck spokesperson said in a written Q&A with Pulmonary Hypertension News. Winrevair binds to and traps activins, proteins that trigger the growth of the endothelial cells that line blood vessels. In PAH, this cell layer keeps growing, narrowi ..read more

Having pulmonary hypertension (PH) worsens the likelihood of potentially life-threatening cardiac and respiratory complications in people with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection, a U.S. database study reported. Its findings “can inform clinical practice and help healthcare providers make more informed decisions regarding the screening, diagnosis, and management of PH in patients with HIV,” the researchers wrote. The study, “In-hospital outcomes of pulmonary hypertension in HIV patients: A population based cohort study,” was published in the International Journal of Cardiology. Recom ..read more

Inhibikase Therapeutics is meeting with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) April 5 to discuss the potential of its experimental formulation of imatinib, dubbed IkT-001Pro, for pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). “Following our … discussion with the FDA related to the path to approval for IkT-001Pro in up to 11 blood and stomach cancers in January, we requested an additional FDA meeting with the Division of Cardiology and Nephrology to discuss Pro as a treatment for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension,” Milton Werner, PhD, president and CEO of Inhibikase, said in a company press releas ..read more

The pulmonary hypertension (PH) community is buzzing with excitement! It’s not every week that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approves two new treatments for a rare disease like PH. This monumental achievement is a testament to the dedication and passion of researchers, scientists, and the rest of the medical community. We’re beyond grateful! First, in late March, the FDA approved a once-daily, fixed-dose tablet containing a combination of macitentan and tadalafil for adults with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). It will be marketed under the brand name Opsynvi and is the fi ..read more

A slit lamp exam of the eyes may detect signs that could help doctors predict how well treatment will work in people with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), an autoimmune disease, a small study suggests. Specific eye signs can also help evaluate PAH progression and its prognosis. The study, “Eye signs as a novel risk predictor in pulmonary arterial hypertension associated with systemic lupus erythematosus,” was published in Advances in Rheumatology by a research team in China. While it’s relatively uncommon, some people with SLE, the ..read more

Enrollment has begun in a Phase 1b study of Tectonic Therapeutic’s TX45, an investigational treatment for people with pulmonary hypertension and heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (PH-HFpEF). TX45 is a long-acting formulation of relaxin, a protein involved in reproduction and cardiovascular function. It has anti-fibrotic, or anti-scarring, and anti-inflammatory properties and can relax or widen blood vessels. “It has long been hypothesized that the unique biology of relaxin may offer substantial therapeutic potential in the treatment of cardiovascular disease,” Alise Reicin, MD, p ..read more