Headline News
2008
6/14/08
Serum Sodium Predicts Mortality Ten Times Higher In PAH Patient
(Medical News Today) -- Patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) chronically high blood pressure in the blood vessels of the lungs whose serum sodium levels are low (called hyponatremia, or HN) have a very poor chance of survival and a high rate of right-heart failure (RHF), according to new research from the University of Pennsylvania.
6/10/08 Woman’s Final Text Inspires Loved Ones
(Online Edition News Shopper) -- A text message sent by a 24-year-old woman just hours before she died from pulmonary hypertension has inspired her friends and family to remain positive as they mourn for her.
5/29/08 Gilead Buys Hypertension Drug Candidate
(TheStreet.com) -- Gilead Sciences said Thursday that it will buy assets related to Cicletanine -- a pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) treatment of privately held Navitas -- and will begin a phase II trial on the drug this year.
5/21/08
Treprostinil Data Presented at American Thoracic Society Conference Demonstrates Significant Clinical Progress in All Four Routes of Administration
(The Earth Times) Silver Spring, Md. --
United Theraputics Corporation and its wholly-owned subsidiary Lung Rx, Inc. announced that data from seven presentations concerning the treatment of
pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) with treprostinil were reported at the
American Thoracic Society (ATS) meeting in Toronto, Ontario. The ATS
presentations involved treprostinil delivered by inhaled, oral, intravenous
and subcutaneous routes of administration.
5/20/08 Gilead Announces New Letairis® (Ambrisentan) Data for the Treatment of Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (WHO Group 1) With WHO Functional Class II or III Symptoms
(Businesswire) Tornonto, Ont., Canada -- Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced results of a post-hoc analysis of data collected during the ARIES-1, ARIES-2 and ARIES-E studies for Letairis® in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) (WHO Group 1) patients with primarily WHO functional class II or III symptoms. This analysis compared one-year clinical outcomes for PAH (WHO Group 1) patients who initially received placebo during the 12-week, placebo-controlled ARIES-1 and ARIES-2 studies before receiving ambrisentan during a long-term, open-label extension study (ARIES-E) to patients receiving continuous ambrisentan treatment throughout the ARIES studies.
5/19/08 Cancer Drug May Help Patients with Heart-lung Disease (PDF)
A drug developed to fight cancer is showing early promise as a treatment for pulmonary hypertension, researchers from the University of Chicago Medical Center report May 19 at the American Thoracic Society International Conference in Toronto, Canada.
5/19/08 Pulmo BioTech Announces Methodology for Phase I Human Trials
(Red Orbit) -- Pulmo BioTech has reported details of the methodology and purpose of its Phase I human trials with its PulmoBind molecular imaging technology for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism and pulmonary hypertension.
5/16/08 Ventavis Drug Recall Alert!
Letter with Instructions from Accredo (PDF)
Lots Recall Announcement from Actelion (PDF)
5/15/08 EPIX Pharmaceuticals to Present Phase 2a Data at American Thoracic Society Meeting
(Business Wire) Lexington, Mass. -- EPIX Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing novel therapeutics through the use of its proprietary and highly efficient in silico drug discovery platform, announced that Michael G. Kauffman, M.D., Ph.D., chief executive officer of EPIX, is scheduled to present an oral presentation entitled “Selective Serotonin-2B Receptor Antagonist PRX-08066 Improves Pulmonary Hypertension Associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease” at the International Conference of the American Thoracic Society in Toronto.
5/10/08 HIV, but Not HHV-8, Found to Increase Risk of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension
(AidsMap) -- Higher pulmonary artery systolic pressure levels – an independent risk factor for pulmonary arterial hypertension – have been found in an HIV-positive study group, as compared to HIV-negative controls. However, no association with human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) infection was found. The results were reported in the April 23rd issue of AIDS.
5/10/08 Transplant Patient Leads Way in Fight Against Lung Disease
(The Times) United Kingdom -- Polak was already involved in work on lung diseases when she became ill and discovered that she was suffering from pulmonary hypertension, a condition she had been investigating.
5/10/08 Reinstated Top Doc Saves Pak Boy's Life
(Hindustan Times - McClatchy-Tribune Information Services via COMTEX) New Delhi, India -- The surgery -- which lasted a little over 30 minutes -- will help infant George Sajeed from Pakistan's Kasur district lead a normal life. Sajeed suffered from pulmonary arterial hypertension and weighed a mere 7 kg -- a little more than half his ideal weight of 12-13 kg. His body had started turning blue and needed immediate treatment.
5/9/08 MPs in Canada Back Orphan Drug Proposal
PHA congratulates our Canadian partners, the new PHA Canada, on its first major victory!
(Globe and Mail) -- Canada is one step closer to an orphan drug plan after the House of Commons voted in favour of a motion that compels government to consider a policy to help those facing unequal access to medicines. Mr. Bell brought the motion forward after his grandson, Dylan Hunter Bell, who suffered from pulmonary hypertension and required continual drug treatment, died on July 14, 2007 -- one day after his 12th birthday.
5/7/08 UC San Diego Physician Receives Ellis Island Medal of Honor
(University of California, San Diego) -- Stuart Jamieson, a world-renowned cardiothoracic surgeon, is being honored with an Ellis Island Medal of Honor for his early sacrifices and groundbreaking successes. Jamieson’s groundbreaking research and innovative therapies are known world-wide, such as his leadership of the UCSD Pulmonary Thromboendarterectomy (PTE) Program. This program is foremost in the world in the successful treatment of chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. In fact, every other program in the world currently performing PTE, a complex and delicate surgery involving the removal of clots from the lungs, was trained by the UC San Diego team.
5/7/08 Easthampton Teen Receives Support For New Lungs
(CBS 3 Springfield) -- Cassie Tessier is an Easthampton teen, struggling with a deadly disease. Her classmates organized a benefit dinner to offer some much needed financial support, and now the family is able to thank them publicly for their help. A rare blood vessel disorder called Pulmonary Hypertension keeps Cassie on a steady cycle of medication, but on Wednesday she broke out of her normal routine and returned to Easthampton High School for a show of support from her classmates.
5/6/08 Treprostinil Data to be Webcast from Annual Meeting of the American Thoracic Society
(PRNewswire) Silver Spring, Md. -- United Therapeutics Corporation announced that data related to the four different routes of administration of the drug, treprostinil, for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension will be presented at the annual meeting of the American Thoracic Society (ATS), to be held in Toronto, Ontario, beginning May 16th and ending May 21, 2008, including the first public presentation of the full data set from the TRIUMPH-1 study of inhaled treprostinil.
5/6/08 Lung Medicine Decision ‘Could Cost Lives’
(The Herald) United Kingdom -- Hundreds of patients with a rare lung disorder could die and a Scottish centre of excellence in treating the condition could be threatened as a result of a decision by the medicines regulator for England and Wales, according to campaigners. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (Nice) is currently consulting on draft guidance for the rare lung disorder Pulmonary Hypertension.
5/1/08 Gilead Initiates Letairis® (ambrisentan) Phase IV Program
(Business Wire) Foster City, Calif. -- Gilead Sciences, Inc. announced the initiation of ATHENA-1, a Phase IV, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluating Letairis® (ambrisentan 5 mg and 10 mg tablets) in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) demonstrating a sub-optimal response to sildenafil monotherapy.
4/29/08 “The Global Learning Series” to Raise Awareness of PAH in an Episode Called “Understanding The Heart”
(Business Wire) Boca Raton, Fla. -- “The Global Learning Serie,” announced that the education-focused television program distributed to public television, will feature Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) in an episode called "Understanding The Heart." The show will be distributed this fall to public television stations and several cable television stations throughout the country and globally on both the web and U.S. Government Voice of America (VOA) Television.
4/29/08 10 Health Signs Not to Ignore
(The Jamaica Observer) -- #6 Shortness of breath: If you find yourself feeling short of breath beyond the typical stuffy nose or after exercise, you should not ignore this sign. If you realise that you are gasping for air or wheezing, you should seek a doctor. Feeling breathless with or without exertion or when reclining are symptoms that need to be medically evaluated without delay. Causes for breathlessness may include panic attacks, chronic bronchitis, heart problems, pulmonary hypertension, pulmonary fibrosis, asthma, anxiety and pulmonary embolism.
4/28/08 Digoxin Drug Recall Alert!
All-lots recall of Digitek oral digoxin tablets
4/28/08 Teva Announces Approval of Generic Flolan® for Injection
(Businesswire) Jerusalem -- Teva Pharmaceutical Industries Ltd. announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted approval for the Company’s Abbreviated New Drug Application (ANDA) to market its epoprostenol, the first generic version of GlaxoSmithKline’s Flolan® for Injection.
4/28/08 Support in Numbers for Katie Grace
Fundraiser helps family of girl with rare heart-lung disorder
(Free Press) Mankato, Minn. -- Katie Grace, the daughter of John and Kathy Groebner, of Mankato, suffers from a rare heart and lung disorder — pulmonary hypertension — that will eventually require a heart-lung transplant. On Sunday evening at Bandana Brewery, friends and relatives held a fundraiser for the family. Kathy’s friend, Nicole Friedrichs, along with Kim Lindley and Angel Uribe organized the event over the last two months.
4/28/08 VentriPoint Diagnostics, University Sign Research, Technology Development Agreement
(FDA News) -- The university also will recruit patients with pulmonary hypertension to begin developing another VDS application, the company said.
4/25/08 GlaxoSmithKline's Volibris (ambrisentan) Receives Authorization From the European Commission
(FinChannel.com) -- GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) announced that the European Commission has issued marketing authorization for Volibris (ambrisentan) for the treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension (PAH) in patients classified as World Health Organisation (WHO) Functional Class II and III, to improve exercise capacity. Efficacy has been shown in idiopathic PAH (IPAH) and in PAH associated with connective tissue disease.
4/24/08 UCSF Marks a Milestone with 500th Transplant in Heart and Lung Program
(University of California, San Francisco) -- UCSF marked a milestone this week with the 500th procedure in its Thoracic Transplant Program, which specializes in transplantation of the heart and lung.
4/23/08 Terminal Illness Can't Dim Her Optimism
(Whittier Daily News) Whittier, Calif. -- To look at her and listen to her, Monica Marie Sanchez, 28, has knockout good-looks and a smart, energetic persona to boot.
So, you wouldn't guess that she is classified as terminally ill and has been on a waiting list for a double lung transplant for seven years.
4/19/08 Cynthia Fink, Critical Care Nurse, Honored by Cambridge Who's Who for Outstanding Contributions to Pulmonary Vascular Care and Pulmonary Hypertension
(Cambridge Who's Who) Nashville, Tenn. -- Cynthia A. Fink, Pulmonary Vascular Program Coordinator at Vanderbilt University Medical Center (VUMC), has been recognized by Cambridge Who's Who for showing dedication, leadership and excellence in all aspects of nursing and healthcare program management.
4/14/08 Community Joins in Fighting Lung Disease
(Gloucestershire.co.uk) United Kingdom -- A community event brought people together to spread hope for sufferers of a life- threatening lung disease. Hucclecote mum and campaigner Sarah Sherwood organised a charity fun day to raise awareness of pulmonary hypertension (PH).
4/11/08 Addition of 3D Echocardiography to 2D Studies Impacts on Decision-Making, Researchers Say
(Medicexchange) -- Three-dimensional echocardiography (3DE) should be routinely performed alongside clinically indicated 2D echocardiography (2DE), a study suggests.
Earlier studies have shown that 3DE allows more accurate assessment of left ventricular volumes and ejection fraction.
4/9/08 Local Woman in Need of Double Lung Transplant
(Reno Gazette-Journal) Fernley, Nev.-- Cathy Brindos recalled when she first started developing symptoms of Pulmonary Hypertension, saying she would be out of breath after walking a short distance and often experienced swollen ankles.
4/8/08 Get Ready to Putt
(Kings County Record) Hampton, Canada -- May 24 will be a big day for golfers and those affected by pulmonary hypertension. That's the day the New Brunswick Pulmonary Hypertension Society and Firefly Forest will host Putt fore PH at the Firefly Forest, 64 Robertson Rd. All proceeds from the miniature golf, held from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. will go directly to support the work of the NBPHS.
4/7/08 Ventricular Septal Defect: A Vanishing Disease
(Gather.com) -- The incidence of total congestive heart defects is 8% and VSD, Ventricular Septal Defect, is the most predominant of the anomalies noted. In the case of VSD, a massive shunting of blood flowing from left to right occurs causing pulmonary hypertension.
4/5/08 Dakota Falls Loves Playing Sports
(NewsLeader.com) -- But since being diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension last year, Falls has had to find other, less strenuous activities to fill his day. So, along with mastering Wii Sports, he’s starting up guitar lessons again, and plans to move onto keyboard and the drums after that.
4/4/08 Boca Raton Man Turns to Art After Beating Fatal Ailment
(BocaNews.com) -- When Gary Farmer was 45, his doctors told him he had a terminal illness and would live only another two to five years. That was in 1996 –- and Farmer, so far, has beaten those odds.
3/31/08 First Mosaic Laureate to Gain Doctorate for Work on Heart Function
(Huliq.com) -- Dutch medical researcher Christiaan Tji-Joong Gan has established that patients with a high blood pressure in the lungs die because the right ventricle is not capable of pumping blood against this pressure.
3/24/08 Easthampton Teenager Needs Lung Transplant, Classmates Helping
(CBS 3 Springfield) -- An Easthampton teenager is awaiting a life saving surgery, and though she probably won't be able to graduate with the class of 2009, her classmates are helping her breathe easier.
3/24/08 Lung Patients 'Condemned to Death as NHS Withdraws Their Too Expensive Drugs'
(Daily Mail) -- Hundreds of patients with a rare lung disease will be sentenced to death by plans to stop doctors prescribing a range of drugs on the NHS, it was claimed last night. Campaigners have condemned proposals by the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to withdraw the drugs because they are too expensive.
The condition, pulmonary hypertension, affects an estimated 4,000 people in the UK.
3/18/08 Methamphetamine Use Associated with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension In Patients with Previously Unknown Risk Factors (PDF)
PHA Press Release -- Pulmonary Hypertension Association Launches National Awareness Campaign to Raise Awareness of Methamphetamine and PAH Link
3/18/08 Hospital Helps Slow Progress of Child's Pulmonary Hypertension
(DailyNews) Burbank, Calif. -- At first, Steve and Marina Van Wormer thought their 6-year-old son had asthma. The Burbank boy would become exhausted after just a little exercise. So their pediatrician gave him asthma medication. But months later, little Lucas grew seriously ill. When they took him in for X-rays looking for pneumonia, doctors noticed the boy's heart was lopsided. They soon diagnosed him with pulmonary hypertension.
Read article | Read Pathlight story on Lucas
(PDF)
| View pictures of Lucas and his parents on DailyNews website
3/14/08 And Norway makes 45 (PH associations around the world, that is)!
We are pleased to report that a new association is currently being created in Norway. PHA is now in contact with 45 PH associations and groups around the world!
3/14/08 Italian Booklet on Pulmonary Hypertension Now Available
Associazione Ipertensione Polmonare Italiana (AIPI) has recently published a booklet entitled “Parliamo Di Ipertensione Arteriosa Polmonare” (Let’s Talk about Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension).
3/11/08 Tot Kept Alive by Viagra
(The Sun) United Kingdom -- Brave Oliver takes the sex drug four times a day to control pulmonary hypertension (PH), a rare condition that causes chronic high blood pressure. Viagra improves blood flow, which boosts erectile function in adults, but also helps open the veins and capillaries to aid circulation in rare cases such as Oliver’s. However, his future health is now under threat because of proposed cuts by the Government’s drug rationing agency the National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE).
3/11/08 Woman is Living with PH
(Rolla Daily News) -- She was told she might be asthmatic. She stopped swimming and hiking and found herself getting weaker by the day. It got so bad, House couldn’t work. When her “asthma” symptoms worsened, she was told she had some “deconditioning” issues. Something wasn’t registering, so House started digging around for answers. She hit pay dirt when she discovered a little known disease called pulmonary hypertension (PH).
3/10/08 Cure PH Committee Plans Final Golf Tournament
(Woodlands Online) The Woodlands, Texas -- The Cure PH Committee is preparing for their 10th and final Cure PH golf tournament as they make plans to introduce the first Cure PH Bug Boil.
3/6/08 Little Blue Pill Saves Newborn
(The Times of India) Panipat, India -- The jury may still be out on Viagra, but the magic blue pill saved the life of a newborn suffering from pulmonary hypertension. A neonatologist, Dr Girish Arora, of local hospital claimed that the drug was used on an "experimental basis" after the newborn did not respond to any other treatment.
3/4/08 A Combination Therapy of 3 Vasodilators May Treat Portopulmonary Hypertension
(EurekAlert) -- Combination therapy of Prostacyclin, Sildenafil, and Bosentan helped a young male patient with severe portopulmonary hypertension improve enough to receive a liver transplant. It was also used post-transplant to help him maintain his health. These findings are published in the March issue of Liver Transplantation.
3/3/08 National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) Releases Appraisal Consultation Document on Treatment of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Adults
(IT News) Newbury, England -- The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) has today published on its website the preliminary recommendations of its Appraisal Committee on the use of epoprostenol, iloprost, bosentan, sitaxentan and sildenafil for the treatment of pulmonary hypertension in adults. This document is for consultation only and does not constitute the Institute's final guidance to the National Health Service (NHS). However, if implemented without any revisions, these proposals will significantly limit the prescribing options for pulmonary hypertension.
3/3/08 Mystery Disease
(silive.com) Staten Island, N.Y. -- For as long as Kirsten Larson can remember, she was different than other kids her age: Easily out of breath, not physically active and chubby. Most people around her chalked it up to laziness. But Ms. Larson knew something was wrong. While other kids could run around without incident, she could barely walk around the block without feeling exhausted. At an age when being thin and trim is important, the preteen wondered why she was overweight when she wasn't overeating.
3/3/08 Problems Hamper Sickle Cell Treatment
(Associated Press) Washington -- The news is grim: Ten years after government approval of the first sickle cell treatment, only a tiny fraction of patients use the drug — despite new research showing the disease is far more painful than doctors ever suspected. There are a few bits of hope on the horizon. Hospitals around the country just began a long-awaited study to see if the same ingredient that powers the impotence drug Viagra may prevent death from a leading sickle cell killer, lung damage known as pulmonary hypertension.
2/29/08 Actelion and Nippon Shinyaku To Collaborate on Novel PAH Compound
(PharmaLive) -- Actelion Ltd and Nippon Shinyaku announced the two companies have signed a binding letter of intent regarding Nippon Shinyaku's novel PGI-2 receptor agonist NS-304.
2/28/08 'Gorgeous Child' Whose Bravery is not Forgotten
(Belfast Telegraph) --
The Fortwilliam child suffered from a rare heart and lung condition called pulmonary hypertension (PH). She also suffered from a hole in her heart, Down's syndrome and epilepsy.
2/27/08 Brave Barbara's Battle
(Melton Times) -- A woman with a rare incurable disease is highlighting the difficulties faced by sufferers. Grandmother-of-five Barbara Fraser has pulmonary hypertension, a condition only found once in every 1,000,000 people.
2/21/08 Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use Summary of Positive Opinion for Volibris
(PharmaLive) London -- On 21 February 2008 the Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) adopted a positive opinion,** recommending to grant a marketing authorisation for the medicinal product Volibris, 5 mg and 10 mg, Film coated tablets intended for treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension. Volibris was designated as an orphan medicinal product on 11 April 2005. The applicant for this medicinal product is Glaxo Group Limited.
2/20/08 Pfizer Says to Buy Encysive and Thelin Lung Drug
(Reuters) New York -- Pfizer Inc said it has agreed to pay about $195 million to acquire Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc and its Thelin lung-disorder medicine that has repeatedly failed to win U.S. approval.
2/20/08 Thousands Of Survivors Of Congenital Heart Defects Facing Specialist Shortage
(Medical News Today) -- Born with a serious congenital heart defect that requires regular medical check ups, Vanessa Mukite wasn't prepared for the dilemma she faced when she entered adulthood. Like thousands of other adult congenital heart defect patients in the Chicago area, Vanessa had to deal with being handed off by her heart specialist.
2/15/08 Race Matters For Patients Awaiting Lung Transplants
(Medical News Today) -- A recent study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine finds that compared to whites, blacks with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, were less likely to receive a lung transplant. Blacks were also more likely than whites to die or be removed from the transplant list.
2/15/08 Air a Little Sweeter for Ailing Painter
(The Seward Pheonix Log) -- Jeff Toth breathes easier today. The lifelong Seward resident was given the gift of a second chance thanks to the local community’s generosity.
2/13/08 Clinical Trial a Breath of Fresh Air for CF Woman
(WCF Courier) Cedar Falls, Iowa -- When Lois Rippe agreed in 2003 to take part in a clinical trial for a new medicine to treat the symptoms of pulmonary hypertension she didn't think she'd live to see the end of the experiment.
2/11/08 CROI: Recreational Drug Use a Risk for Asymptomatic Heart Disorders in HIV-Positive Patients
(Aidsmap News) -- Echocardiographs were performed to check for the presence of left ventricular systolic dysfunction, diastolic dysfunction, pulmonary hypertension, left ventricular hypertrophy, and left atrial enlargement.
2/11/08 Sigh of Relief: Erie man with pulmonary hypertension breathes easier with treatment
(GoErie.com) -- A year ago, Fred Reading feared he was taking his last, labored breaths. Doctors didn't know what was wrong with him, but Reading, 64, couldn't walk down a hallway without leaning against a wall and stopping every few feet to rest.
2/8/08 FDA Gives arGentis Treatment 'Orphan' Designation
(Memphis Business Journal) -- That drug, ARG201, will treat the disease that attacks the body's own type 1 collagen causing fibrosis of the skin, lungs and other organs. As the disease progresses, patients suffer increasing difficulties with digestion, breathing, joint pain and often develop pulmonary hypertension.
2/4/08
Breakthrough for Fatal Lung Disease -- In-depth Doctor's Interview
(Ivanhoe Broadcast News) Toronto, Canada -- Michael Kutryk, M.D., explains how using a patient's own cells could potentially repair damage done from a debilitating lung disease.
2/4/08 Book Helps Adults See Illness Through the Eyes of a Child
(Borehamwood & Elstree Times) United Kingdom -- A children's audio book has been launched to tackle the subjects of severe illness and death - through the eyes of a nine-year-old boy whose grandmother is suffering from the rare illness Pulmonary Hypertension (PH).
2/4/08 Mum's Death Leaves Daughter to Bring Up Sisters
(Sheffield Star Barnsley) United Kingdom -- A YOUNG mum has been left to bring up her three little sisters along with her own two daughters after their mum died from a rare lung condition aged just 41.
2/1/08 Prevalence of HIV-Associated Pulmonary Hypertension Unchanged With HAART
(Medicexchange.com) -- The prevalence of HIV-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) hasn't changed much since highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) became available, according to results of a prospective study from France.
1/31/08 Kindergartner With Lung Disease Benefits From Therapy at UCLA
(UCLA's Health System) -- Despite a rare, life-threatening lung condition, 6-year-old Lucas Van Wormer won't slow down. Just try to catch him as he rides his motorized scooter to kindergarten.
1/29/08 Know Your Family Health History
(WHAM.com) -- A young woman recently diagnosed with a rare lung disease is teaming up with doctors to remind all of us how important it is to learn about your family's health history.
1/24/08 Details About PAH Might Save Lives
(GoErie.com) -- Recently you had a column regarding a gentleman who described breathlessness, exercise intolerance and faintness. I had these exact symptoms before I was diagnosed with pulmonary arterial hypertension.
1/24/08 Mum Says Farewell With a Final Song
(Wiltshire) United Kingdom -- Mum Jo Buechel has paid tribute to her 19-year old son Rick who died at the weekend. Rick suffered from pulmonary hypertension, an incurable heart disease.
1/23/08 JAMA Clinician's Corner: Pulmonary Hypertension -- An Increasingly Recognized Complication of Hereditary Hemolytic Anemias and HIV Infection
(The Journal of the American Medical Association) -- It is estimated that 10% of patients with hemoglobinopathies and 0.5% of patients with HIV infection develop moderate to severe pulmonary hypertension.
1/23/08 JAMA Patient Page: Pulmonary Hypertension
(The Journal of the American Medical Association) -- The pulmonary artery is the main vessel that carries blood from the heart to the lungs. For a person at rest, blood pressure in a normal pulmonary artery is about 15 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg). In an individual with pulmonary hypertension, the average pressure in the pulmonary artery can be more than 25 mm Hg.
1/23/08 On Women: The Downside of C-Sections on Demand
(U.S. News & World Report) --
Her baby also might not fare as well, especially if doctors perform the C-section more than a week before the due date, which they do routinely to avoid having a woman go through the pains of labor. Such babies have a higher likelihood of lung problems like pulmonary hypertension and respiratory distress syndrome, according to a study published last month in the British Medical Journal.
1/22/08 What is Asbestosis?
(American Chronicle) -- Asbestosis may cause complications, such as an enlarged heart and pulmonary hypertension. Club-shaped fingers commonly occur.
1/21/08 Pulmonary Hypertension's Treatable
(The Detroit News) -- I am a woman, 81, recently diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension. What is it? What is the treatment? Is it curable?
1/20/08 New Medicines Can Help Lower High Blood Pressure in Lungs
(SouthCoastToday.com) -- Hypertension is high blood pressure. "Pulmonary" refers to the lungs. Pulmonary hypertension is high blood pressure in the lungs' blood circulation, most often without high blood pressure in the rest of the body. The lungs are delicate structures. They can't tolerate normal body blood pressure. The blood pressure in the lungs is only one-fifth of body blood pressure.
1/15/08 Doctors Concerned, Seeing Pulmonary Hypertension More Often
(The Pittsburgh Channel) -- Doctors are seeing more cases of a relatively rare lung disease called pulmonary hypertension, but they're not sure why. The hike in admissions is big. It's up 50 percent in six years. A study found patients not only stay in longer, they're more expensive to treat. When left untreated, half die within three years. Experts want to up the recognition in hopes they can stem the physical and financial toll.
1/14/08 Encysive Pharma Introduces Thelin 100 Mg Tablets In Belgium And Luxembourg
(RTT News) -- Encysive Pharmaceuticals Inc., a global biopharmaceutical company, announced that THELIN(r)(1) (sitaxentan sodium(2)) 100 mg tablets for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) are commercially available in Belgium and Luxembourg.
1/14/08 Life on Hold - Baltic Woman Hopes for New Lungs
(The Times-Reporter) Baltic, Penn. -- Before Lana Zinkon makes her way into a building, she develops a game plan. Each time she gets out of her car, her brain starts ticking: “What’s the shortest distance to the entrance? Where are the fewest steps? What’s the flattest part of the building?”
In April 2004, she was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary hypertension.
1/14/08 Tot Defies Odds to Celebrate Birthday
(Belfast Telegraph) Northern Ireland --
A life-limited Belfast toddler who defied medical expectation by surviving longer than two weeks is today celebrating her third birthday - "one she was never supposed to have". Little Aimeerose Quinn is being spoiled by her proud mum Kelly today as they quietly mark the milestone.
1/12/08 Singapore Pulmonary Hypertension Support Group Dinner & Meet 2008
(By Mohd Amin, Singapore PH Support Group Leader) -- January 2008 marked a milestone for PH Patients in Singapore as they got together to enrich themselves with an educational and informative support group session featuring lectures from 2 PH specialists: Dr. James Yip, Senior Consultant Cardiologist of the National University Hospital (NUH) & Dr. Tan Ju Le, Consultant Cardiologist from the National Heart Centre (NHC).
Read Article
1/11/08 Artery Stiffness Tied to Mortality in Pulmonary Hypertension
(Reuters) -- Noninvasively assessed pulmonary artery stiffness predicts mortality in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), according to Dutch researchers.
1/11/08 Tributes Flooding in For Leanne
(Express & Echo) United Kingdom -- Tributes have been pouring in for a brave Devon teenager who lost her battle with a progressive illness. When Leanne Pannell was 13, she woke up ill one morning and was eventually diagnosed with pulmonary hypertension, a rare lung disorder in which the blood pressure in the pulmonary artery rises far above normal levels.
1/4/08 Bangkok Pills
(The News Today) Iloilo City, Philippines -- Bangkok Pills are a combination drug marketed for weight reduction which had gained notoriety a few years ago for the various serious complications reported attendant to their use. Among the substances in these pills are bisacodyl, furosemide, phenteramine, and fenfluramine (a drug banned in the Philippines, Thailand and the United States).
1/4/08 Tough Start for Baby New Year, Willow Lewis
(The Register-Mail) Galesburg, Ill. -- The parents of the first baby born in Galesburg hospitals in 2008 still are waiting to hold their new daughter in their arms. Rebecca Lewis said Willow has pulmonary hypertension, which is affecting her breathing.
1/3/08 Governor Corzine Signs Legislation
(Governors Press) Trenton, N.J. --
Governor Jon S. Corzine signed the following bills into law today: SJR-55/AJR-126 (Sweeney, Cunningham/Burzichelli) – Designates November of each year as “Pulmonary Hypertension Awareness Month.”
1/3/08 PH Patient Theresa Stahl Uses Many Avenues to Raise Awareness in the Fight for a Cure
Theresa was interviewed for an article in her local paper, met a new PHriend who read the article, got her city to declare November PH Awareness Month, was interviewed by the Mayor on his local radio program and contacted local clubs.
1/2/08 Hospitalizations Increase for Deadly Lung Disease
(USA Today) -- Looked at one way, a spike in hospital stays for a rare and deadly lung disease is a bad thing. Or it may reflect progress in diagnosing and treating a disease that has thwarted medical science for at least a century. Which is it?
1/2/08 Cardiac Abnormalities Common in Systemic Sclerosis
(Reuters) --
Left and right heart diseases, including pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), left ventricular hypertrophy, and diastolic dysfunction, are frequently found in patients with systemic sclerosis, according to a prospective study conducted in France.
1/2/08 AJMS Presents Highlights of Pulmonary Symposium
(Newswise) -- The thirteen papers in the special issue provide practical updates on conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, a common and costly condition most often related to smoking; and sarcoidosis, an inflammatory lung disease that can range from life-threatening to asymptomatic. Several articles emphasize the need for expert evaluation for prompt diagnosis and appropriate treatment of complex conditions such as organizing pneumonia, pulmonary arterial hypertension, and "unexpandable lung."
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