Sildenafil: A Review of its Use in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Authors: Croom, Katherine F.; Curran, Monique P.

Source: Drugs, Volume 68, Number 3, 2008 , pp. 383-397(15)

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Abstract:

Sildenafil citrate (Revatio^®), an inhibitor of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5), is approved for use in the US, Europe and other countries for the treatment of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Oral sildenafil 20 mg three times daily added to conventional background therapy was significantly more effective than placebo at increasing exercise capacity in patients with idiopathic PAH or PAH associated with connective tissue diseases or repaired congenital systemic-to-pulmonary shunts. Sildenafil was also associated with improvements in WHO functional class and haemodynamic parameters, and was generally well tolerated. Sildenafil provides benefits in terms of exercise capacity when added to epoprostenol; however, these findings come from a trial that did not use the approved dosage of sildenafil. In conclusion, sildenafil is an effective oral treatment option for patients with PAH.

Keywords: Adis Drug Evaluations; Pulmonary hypertension; Sildenafil

Document Type: Research article

Affiliations: 1: Wolters Kluwer Health | Adis, Auckland, New Zealand, an editorial office of Wolters Kluwer Health, Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, USA

Publication date: 2008-01-01