Continuous intravenous administration of a low dose of epoprostenol greatly decreased serum concentrations of endothelin-1 in primary pulmonary hypertension--a case report

Angiology. 2005 Sep-Oct;56(5):641-5. doi: 10.1177/000331970505600519.

Abstract

Endothelin-1 (ET-1) is known to be a principal factor in the pathogenesis of primary pulmonary hypertension (PPH). Recently intravenous administration of epoprosterol improved the survival rate in PPH. However, the effect of epoprosterol on ET-1 remains to be investigated. Therefore, we studied a patient with PPH who was treated with a low dose of epoprosterol and examined the serum concentration of ET-1 during the treatment. Epoprosterol greatly decreased the serum concentration of ET-1 in parallel with improvement of the clinical course, suggesting that ET-1 level may be a marker for treatment of PPH.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adult
  • Antihypertensive Agents / administration & dosage*
  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Dose-Response Relationship, Drug
  • Drug Administration Schedule
  • Endothelin-1 / blood*
  • Epoprostenol / administration & dosage*
  • Epoprostenol / therapeutic use
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / drug therapy*
  • Hypertension, Pulmonary / physiopathology
  • Infusions, Intravenous

Substances

  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Endothelin-1
  • Epoprostenol