The Pulmonary Hypertension Program at The Children’s Hospital

from Practice Update, Winter 2004

The Children’s Hospital, in Denver , hosts one of only two comprehensive pediatric pulmonary hypertension programs in the United States . Significant research programs exist in the biomechanics and hemodynamics of pediatric pulmonary hypertension including development of a novel non-invasive method to estimate pulmonary vascular resistance in children with pulmonary hypertension. Investigators study the molecular and structured basis of pulmonary circulation.

Current therapies include intravenous Prostacyclin,® Remodulin,® Bosentan® and calcium channel blockers.

Several clinical trials investigating new pharmaceutical agents for chronic treatment of pediatric pulmonary hypertension are underway. These include investigation of inhaled nitric oxide at home, Sildenafil,® Sitaxsentan® and Iloprost.®