Update in approaches to pulmonary hypertension because of left heart disease

Abstract

Purpose of reviewLeft heart disease is the most common cause of pulmonary hypertension. This review summarizes the current care of patients with pulmonary hypertension caused by left heart disease (PH-LHD) and discusses recent and active clinical trials in this patient population. Recent findingsThe primary focus of interventions aimed at treating PH-LHD address the treatment of left heart disease. Significant advancements in the treatment of heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF), a frequent cause of PH-LHD, are supported in the current literature. Patients with residual pulmonary hypertension despite optimal treatment of left heart disease have poor outcomes. Yet, interventions targeting the pulmonary vasculature in PH-LHD patients have not demonstrated significant benefits in studies to date. Current work focuses on differentiating isolated postcapillary pulmonary hypertension (IpcPH) from combined precapillary and postcapillary pulmonary hypertension (CpcPH) in a clinically consistent manner. It is hopeful that thorough phenotyping of PH-LHD patients will translate into effective treatment strategies addressing pulmonary vascular disease. SummaryReferral to centers of excellence, considerations for enrollment in clinical trials, and evaluation for transplant is recommended for patients with residual pulmonary hypertension despite optimal treatment of left heart disease, particularly those with CpcPH.

Group 2 pulmonary hypertension: from diagnosis to treatment

“…Pulmonary hypertension frequently accompanies left heart disease (PHLHD) and is associated with worse prognosis than left heart disease without pulmonary hypertension [1][2][3]. Because of its frequency, prognostic implications, diagnostic challenges, and evolving treatment strategies, PHLHD is a frequent subject of publications [4 && , [5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]. Diagnosis of PHLHD (group 2) requires recognition of patient characteristics that pose risk for having left heart disease.…”