Abstract

There is an increasing number of therapeutic agents being developed for the treatment of pulmonary artery hypertension (PAH) which is a condition characterized by raised pulmonary artery pressure and right heart failure. Despite our better understanding of the pathophysiology of PAH, the treatment outcomes are still suboptimal. There is growing evidence suggesting the role of increases in the levels of aldosterone, which is a mineralocorticoid hormone, in the pathophysiology of PAH; however, the extent to which hyperaldosteronism is associated with PAH in patients is unclear. There are also a few studies assessing the effects of mineralocorticoid receptor antagonists (MRA) in PAH. MRAs are a recognized treatment for heart failure and hypertension. In this review, we focus on the relationship between aldosterone level in patients with PAH and right ventricular failure and the effect of MRAs on the PAH severity.

Keywords: Right ventricular failure, pulmonary arterial hypertension, aldosterone, mineralocorticoid receptor antagonist, therapeutic agents, pathophysiology.