PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - N Nagaya
AU  - Y Shimizu
AU  - T Satoh
AU  - H Oya
AU  - M Uematsu
AU  - S Kyotani
AU  - F Sakamaki
AU  - N Sato
AU  - N Nakanishi
AU  - K Miyatake
TI  - Oral beraprost sodium improves exercise capacity and ventilatory efficiency in patients with primary or thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension
AID  - 10.1136/heart.87.4.340
DP  - 2002 Apr 01
TA  - Heart
PG  - 340--345
VI  - 87
IP  - 4
4099  - http://heart.bmj.com/content/87/4/340.short
4100  - http://heart.bmj.com/content/87/4/340.full
SO  - Heart2002 Apr 01; 87
AB  - Objective: To investigate the effect of beraprost sodium, an orally active prostacyclin analogue, on exercise capacity and ventilatory efficiency in patients with primary pulmonary hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Patients and design: Symptom limited cardiopulmonary exercise testing was performed before and 3 (1) months (mean (SEM)) after beraprost treatment in 30 patients with precapillary pulmonary hypertension (14 with primary pulmonary hypertension and 16 with chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension). Results: Long term treatment with beraprost resulted in significant increases (mean (SEM)) in peak workload (87 (4) W to 97 (5) W, p < 0.001) and peak oxygen consumption (peak V̇o2, 14.9 (0.7) ml/kg/min to 16.8 (0.7) ml/kg/min, p < 0.001). Beraprost decreased the ventilatory response to carbon dioxide production during exercise (V̇e–V̇co2 slope, 42 (2) to 37 (1), p < 0.001). No significant difference in the responses of these variables to beraprost treatment was observed between patients with primary pulmonary hypertension and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension. Conclusions: Oral administration of beraprost sodium may improve exercise capacity and ventilatory efficiency in patients with both primary and chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension.