Sign up for our Email Newsletter & Receive a Free Health Ebook!

MEDICATION FOR PULMONARY HYPERTENSION – HOW IT IS SIMILAR TO REGULAR HYPERTENSION

By Tess Thompson

Pulmonary hypertension, as distinguished from hypertension or high blood pressure, is a condition where the blood pressure rises only in the blood vessels associated with the lungs. It is a condition in which the pulmonary blood vessels are narrowed, making it difficult for the blood to flow easily through the arteries. It may also be caused by other medical conditions like rheumatic disorders, lung diseases and liver dysfunction.

Pulmonary hypertension can occur at any age, in all races and ethnic groups and is common in low- oxygen conditions like high altitudes, obesity and sleep apnea.

There are various medications for pulmonary hypertension and the choice depends largely upon the underlying cause of the disease. A large number of high blood pressure medications are also used to treat pulmonary hypertension.

Diuretics

These are ‘water pills’ that induce urination and reduce blood volume in the body. A diminished volume of blood ultimately reduces the load on the heart and lowers the blood pressure.

Vasodilators

These drugs dilate blood vessels and therefore help in improving blood flow. When blood is flowing smoothly through the pulmonary system, the overload on the heart is reduced thus improving its pumping ability. Calcium channel blockers may provide relief from vasoconstriction but are useful in only 5% of the cases of idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Potassium supplements

These are required when the patient is on diuretics. Increased urination is likely to result in loss of potassium, an essential mineral, which must necessarily be replaced.

The similarity ends here but it may also be extended to include natural remedies for high blood pressure. Abstinence from smoking and reliance on a natural lifestyle with emphasis on a fat-free diet, regular exercises and moderation in what you eat may also help in management of pulmonary high blood pressure.

Besides the above medicines, pulmonary hypertension requires certain typical medicines that are normally not required when treating normal hypertension. Pulmonary hypertension caused by oxygen deficiency requires supplemental oxygen. In instances where the underlying cause is a clot, anticoagulants are used to reduce the thickness of the blood.

In rare cases the clot may move from the site of its origin and cause occlusion of a blood vessel. Anticoagulants however should be used under guidance of the physician because uncontrolled use of these medicines may cause bleeding problems.

Cardiac stimulants like digoxin are used to improve the heart’s ability to pump blood. The vitality drug, sildenafil can effectively relax smooth muscle cells to dilate pulmonary arteries.

Pulmonary hypertension is actually a result of an abnormal proliferation and contraction of smooth-muscle cells of the pulmonary arteries in which many pathways are involved. The focus of newer medications for pulmonary hypertension is to target these pathways (bundles of nerve fibers following a path through the brain).

Prostacycline is deemed to be the most effective medication for targeting one of these pathways. Epoprostenol, a synthetic prostacycline, is infused continuously with the aid of a semi-permanent central nervous system venous catheter. This is an unstable drug that has to be administered continuosly without a break and any interruption can be fatal.

Left untreated, both pulmonary and simple hypertension can advance in geometric progression and become unmanageable in extreme cases.