Korean J Intern Med.  2007 Mar;22(1):37-39. 10.3904/kjim.2007.22.1.37.

Use of Tadalafil for Treating Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Secondary to Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease

• Kim HS
• Park JH
• Park SJ
• Park JK
• Lee HB

• KMID: 1717993
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3904/kjim.2007.22.1.37

Abstract

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) secondary to chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is incurable and it has an unpredictable survival rate. Two men who suffered from COPD presented with progressive dyspnea and edema, respectively. PAH, as estimated by the peak velocity of tricuspidal regurgitation, and the depressed myocardial performance index (MPI) of the right ventricle (RV) were noted on echocardiography. In addition to the baseline therapy for their depressed ventilatory function, we prescribed tadalafil 10 mg orally every other day for 2 weeks and then we doubled the dosage. They well tolerated the medication without any notable side effects. After 4 weeks of tadalafil treatment, the patients' pulmonary arterial pressure was decreased and the MPI of the RV was improved in both. The exercise capacity, as measured by the respiratory oxygen uptake, also improved from 10.9 mL/kg/min to 13.8 mL/kg/min in one patient. We report here on 2 patients with PAH secondary to COPD, and they showed notable improvement of their pulmonary hemodynamics and exercise capacity with the administration of tadalafil.

Keyword

Pulmonary heart disease; Tadalafil

MeSH Terms

Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive/*complications
Pulmonary Artery/drug effects/*pathology
Phosphodiesterase Inhibitors/*therapeutic use
Oxygen Consumption/drug effects
Middle Aged
Male
Hypertension, Pulmonary/*drug therapy/etiology
Humans
Exercise Tolerance/drug effects
Carbolines/*therapeutic use