Abstract
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) refers to a group of diseases that are characterised by high pressure in the pulmonary artery and by pulmonary vascular resistance. Persistent PAH in the newborn is a condition whereby the pulmonary artery pressure does not decrease after birth, and may occur in as many as 6.8 in 1 000 live births. Phosphodiesterase type 5 (PDE-5) is the predominant PDE isoform in the lung which metabolises cyclic guanosine monophosphate (cGMP), and is upregulated in conditions associated with PAH. Thus, by selectively inhibiting PDE-5, the accumulation of intracellular cGMP is promoted by sildenafil citrate and nitric oxide-mediated vasodilatation is also enhanced. The article provides information on associated dosing regimens and reconstitution guidelines.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 22-25 |
| Number of pages | 4 |
| Journal | SA Pharmaceutical Journal |
| Volume | 82 |
| Issue number | 7 |
| Publication status | Published - 2015 |
Keywords
- Neonate
- Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)
- Sildenafil
