Pharmacological treatment of patent ductus arteriosus in premature infants

Abstract

Introduction: Pharmacological management of patent ductus arteriosus (PDA) usually includes non-selective inhibitors of the enzyme cyclooxygenase, especially indomethacin and ibuprofen. Recently, acetaminophen has also been suggested as a therapeutic alternative. Objective: To conduct a narrative review of the literature on pharmacological management of PDA. Materials and methods: Structured literature search conducted on the ProQuest, EBSCO, ScienceDirect, PubMed, LILACS, Embase, Trip Database, SciELO and Cochrane Library databases, with the terms “Ductus Arteriosus, patent AND therapeutics”; “Ductus Arteriosus, patent AND indometacin”; “Ductus Arteriosus, Patent AND ibuprofen”, and “Ductus Arteriosus, patent AND acetaminophen”, and their equivalents in Spanish. Results: 69 articles had relevant information to carry out the present review. Conclusions: In premature infants, the mainstay of pharmacological treatment for PDA continues to be non-selective cyclooxygenase inhibitors, indomethacin and ibuprofen, all with similar safety and efficacy profiles. The available evidence suggests that acetaminophen may be a useful alternative for management, but it is insufficient to make definitive recommendations regarding the efficacy and safety of this drug.