Effect of sildenafil in primary pulmonary hypertension

Abstract

Primary pulmonary hypertension is a disorder with limited treatment options and poor outcome. We demonstrated a beneficial role of sildenafil, a phosphodiesterase 5 inhibitor, in a patient with primary pulmonary hypertension. After the initiation of sildenafil the pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 40/20mmHg to 16/6mmHg, while mean pulmonary arterial systolic pressure decreased from 25mmHg to 10mmHg. Sildenafil has a beneficial effect in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension in improving the functional class and decreasing the pulmonary artery pressures.