objective(s): the present study was aimed to investigate the influence of thoracic epidural blockade on hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension in rats. materials and methods: forty eight wistar rats were randomly divided into 4 equal groups, named normoxia hypoxia hypoxia/ ropivacaine and hypoxia/saline. animals were placed in a hypoxia chamber and instrumented with epidural catheters at the th...

Despite advances in treatments and improved survival, patients with pulmonary hypertension still experience poor exercise and functional capacity, which has a significant detrimental impact on their quality of life. The nitric oxide (NO)-soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC)-cyclic guanosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cGMP) pathway has been shown to play an important role in cardiovascular physiology, espe...

In a 22-year-old woman with primary pulmonary hypertension resistant to all previous attempts to reduce the pulmonary vascular resistance, there was dramatic improvement after the first dose of nifedipine, 20 mg po, which was not sustained with subsequent doses. While there was a persistent reduction in systemic vascular resistance, the initial drug-related reduction in pulmonary vascular resis...

In 1998, a clinical classification of pulmonary hypertension (PH) was established, categorizing PH into groups which share similar pathological and hemodynamic characteristics and therapeutic approaches. During the 5th World Symposium held in Nice, France, in 2013, the consensus was reached to maintain the general scheme of previous clinical classifications. However, modifications and updates e...

Background: Children with congenital heart disease (CHD) are prone to malnutrition and growth retardation. This study aimed to compare growth status between children with CHD and healthy children.                Materials and Methods: This case–control study included 310 children with CHD and 300 healthy children matched in age and gender. CHD patients grouped according to cardiac diagnosis: ...

Misalignment of the pulmonary veins with congenital alveolar capillary dysplasia, although rare, has been reported as a cause of persistent pulmonary hypertension of the newborn. Reported cases have been mainly sporadic. Familial occurrence has been reported in only three instances. We present affected sibs with this condition. In addition to pulmonary abnormalities, urogenital abnormalities, i...

Background: Vitamin D (Vit D) is linked to various conditions including musculoskeletal, metabolic and   cardiopulmonary diseases. However, it is not clear whether correction of vit D deficiency exerts any beneficial effect in patients with pulmonary hypertension. Methods: This study was a prospective uncontrolled longitudinal study. Patients with pulmonary hypertension and vit D d...

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is the persistent abnormal increase in pulmonary artery (PA) pressure and in dogs is usually secondary to congenital disease causing pulmonary over circulation, chronic respiratory disease and elevated left atrial pressure. Sildenafil (SF) is a phosphodiesterase (PDE) V inhibitor that causes pulmonary artery (PA) vasodilation by increasing pulmonary vascular concentr...