Does Sildenafil produce a sustained benefit in patients with pulmonary hypertension associated with parenchymal lung and cardiac disease?
Madden BP; Sheth A; Wilde M; Ong YE Department of Cardiothoracic Medicine, St George’s Hospital, Atkinson Morley Wing Blackshaw Road, Tooting, London SW17 0QT, UK. Brendan.madden@stgeorges.nhs.uk BACKGROUND: Sildenafil may be of benefit for selected patients with pulmonary hypertension associated with parenchymal lung and cardiac diseases. However the medium term benefits of this treatment for such patients is unclear. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 16 consecutive patients with secondary pulmonary hypertension who had been on maximal appropriate therapy received Sildenafil 50 mg tds following assessment which included right heart catheter, 2D echocardiography and six minute walk test. Right heart catheterisation, 2D echocardiography and six minute walk test were performed after eight weeks treatment, at 12 months and at six monthly intervals thereafter. Baseline medications were continued. RESULTS: 16 patients with pulmonary hypertension associated with inoperable chronic pulmonary thromboembol
