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Epoprostenol and home mechanical ventilation for pulmonary hypertension associated with chronic lung disease
Author(s) -
Zaidi Ali N.,
Dettorre Michael D.,
Ceneviva Gary D.,
Thomas Neal J.
Publication year - 2005
Publication title -
pediatric pulmonology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.866
H-Index - 106
eISSN - 1099-0496
pISSN - 8755-6863
DOI - 10.1002/ppul.20238
Subject(s) - medicine , pulmonary hypertension , lung disease , intensive care medicine , respiratory disease , pulmonary disease , mechanical ventilation , lung , ventilation (architecture) , cardiology , mechanical engineering , engineering
Pulmonary hypertension (PH) can be associated with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) of infancy, and mortality in these pediatric patients is high without aggressive medical treatment. Continuous intravenous epoprostenol (prostacyclin) was shown to lower pulmonary artery pressures (PAP) in children with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), formerly referred to as primary pulmonary hypertension. We report on the first case of long‐term home ventilation in combination with chronic intravenous epoprostenol in a child with severe pulmonary hypertension associated with chronic lung disease. This aggressive combination resulted in significant improvement in pulmonary artery pressures, substantial improvement in quality of life, and eventual discontinuation of home ventilation. © 2005 Wiley‐Liss, Inc.