Iloprost in pulmonary hypertension

Abstract

Pulmonary hypertension is a clinically relevant, life-threatening disease. Based pathophysiologically on a dysbalance of vasoactive mechanisms, the therapeutic use of vasodilative agents is one of the major treatment options. Prostanoids, such as iloprost, are widely used in the treatment of patients with pulmonary hypertension. With the focus on pulmonary hypertension, this article reviews the most relevant experimental and clinical data for the inhalative and intravenous application of iloprost. To summarize, the available data on iloprost suggest it has a clinical and hemodynamic benefit to patients with pulmonary hypertension.

Keywords::

• clinical data
• iloprost
• prostanoids
• pulmonary hypertension

Financial & competing interests disclosure

R Ewert and C Opitz receive lecture fees from Bayer-Schering Healthcare. The authors have no other relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript apart from those disclosed.

No writing assistance was utilized in the production of this manuscript.