Pulmonary Hypertension
Pulmonary arterial hypertension is raised blood pressure in the arteries that carry blood from the heart to the lungs. It is a rare and serious condition, diagnosed by specialist investigation, and it is not the same thing as ordinary high blood pressure — the medicines used to treat it are a different class entirely and are not interchangeable with everyday blood-pressure tablets. If you are looking for a medicine for systemic high blood pressure, you will find those in our Heart Medicines category instead.
The treatments listed here work by widening the pulmonary arteries and reducing the pressure the right side of the heart has to work against. They fall into a few groups: endothelin receptor antagonists such as bosentan, ambrisentan and macitentan; the soluble guanylate cyclase stimulator riociguat; and sildenafil in the formulation and dose used for pulmonary hypertension, which is a different indication from its use in erectile dysfunction. Generic versions from licensed manufacturers contain the same active ingredient at the same strength as the branded originals, and because these are long-term therapies the difference in cost adds up considerably.
Every medicine in this category is prescription-only and is prescribed and monitored by a specialist. Several require ongoing monitoring during treatment — liver function with some of the endothelin receptor antagonists, for example — and several carry pregnancy restrictions, so treatment is managed rather than simply supplied. A valid prescription is required before any order can be dispensed, and our team can confirm current pricing and availability for your destination. For background on cardiovascular treatment more generally, see our heart health hub. Used as prescribed by a licensed medical professional.
