Sildenafil Improves Hemodynamic Changes Caused by Acute Pulmonary Embolism by Inhibiting Rho-kinase Activity

Abstract

Acute right heart failure and/or circulatory shock caused by a dramatic increase in pulmonary vascular resistance are the main causes of death from acute pulmonary embolism (APE), and drug intervention of neurohumoral factor-mediated pulmonary vasoconstriction may reduce APE-induced hemodynamic disturbances and improve prognosis. Sildenafil is a cGMP specific highly selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE5) and its main mechanism of action is vasodilator effect via cGMP. In our study, the results showed that Rho kinase signaling pathway was activated during APE in rats, and sildenafil intervention inhibited the activation of Rho kinase signaling pathway in APE rats, elucidating the mechanism of sildenafil protection against APE and providing new ideas for the clinical treatment of acute pulmonary thromboembolism.