Effect of Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors on Pulmonary Hemodynamics in Humans

Serotonin promotes pulmonary arterial vasoconstriction and pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell proliferation, thereby having the potential to increase pulmonary arterial blood pressure. Although serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SRIs) might inhibit further deterioration in patients with manifest pulmonary arterial hypertension, they may induce pulmonary hypertension in healthy newborns after fetal exposure. As it is unclear whether treatment with SRIs affects pulmonary hemodynamics in adults without pulmonary hypertension, the aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of SRIs on pulmonary hemodynamics in such subjects.