Monday, March 19, 2007

Vasoreactivity testing in PH

Two cases today (pop an ibuprofen and read on...)

This comes to us from "IS"

After a R heart cath confirms pulm HTN and a vasodilator test with IV Flolan or inhaled NO confirms a responder, what do you guys start with? Do you start with calcium channel blocker sustained release or short acting? Do you leave the right heart cath in and monitor the hemodynamics as you titrate the dose of CCB? Just wondering as we are trying to start a PH program here and it seems that there isn't a standardized protocol. Thanks for your input.

5 comments - CLICK HERE to read & add your own!:

Anonymous said...

Data show that patients who respond to the acute administration of a vasodilator should do well for a long period of time on high dose calcium channel blockers. Unfortunatly, variable definitions of a "response" are used
1) 20% decrease is systolic PAP
2) 30% decrease in PVR
3) 10% decrease in mean PAP

Only 10-15% will have an acute response, and the doses of calcium channel blocker used include
1)Nifedipine 30-240 mg/d
2)Diltiazem 120-900 mg/d

So these are far higher doses then those used for the treatment of systemic hypertension.

I think short-term observation with the RHC in is reasonable. See:

Rich, NEJM 1992;327:76
Hoeper, AJRCCM 2002;2165:1209
Sitbon, Eur Respir J 1998;12:265
Sitbon, Prog in Cardiovas Dis 2002;45:115

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