Use of nebivolol in patients with idiopathic pulmonary hypertension: Results of the pilot study

Abstract

AIM: Тo study the impact of 24-week therapy with nebivolol in a dose of 5 mg/day on the clinical and functional status of patients with idiopathic pulmonary hypertension (IPH), echocardiographic parameters, and blood levels of vasoactive mediators and nitric oxide (NO) metabolite. /MATERIAL AND METHODS: During continuous standard therapy comprising dihydropyridine calcium antagonists, warfarin, and diuretics, 12 patients with IPH and functional class (FC) II-III received nebivolol in a dose of 5 mg/day for 24 weeks. According to the data of right heart catheterization, all the patients had a positive acute pharmacological test with a vasodilator (NO). Six-minute walk test (6'WT), estimation of the Borg dyspnea index (BDI) and FC, transthoracic echocardiography (EchoCG), and measurements of the levels of NO metabolites, endothelin-1, (ET-1), thromboxane B2 (TxB2), and 6-keto-prostaglandin F1α (6-ketoPG F1α) were done at baseline and after 12 and 24 weeks of the therapy /RESULTS: Following 24-week nebivolol treatment, there was a statistically significant increase in 6'WT distance (from 473±47.6 to 516.7±58.4 m; р

Keywords

• idiopathic pulmonary hypertension
• right ventricle
• heart failure
• β-adrenoblockers
• nebivolol