Management of COVID-19 in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Ioannis T Farmakis; George Giannakoulas

doi:10.1016/j.hfc.2022.07.003

Management of COVID-19 in Patients with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension

Heart Fail Clin. 2023 Jan;19(1):107-114. doi: 10.1016/j.hfc.2022.07.003. Epub 2022 Aug 10.

Authors

Ioannis T Farmakis¹, George Giannakoulas²

Affiliations

¹ Department of Cardiology, AHEPA University Hospital, Stilp. Kiriakidi 1, Thessaloniki 54637, Greece; Center for Thrombosis and Hemostasis, University Medical Center Mainz, Langebeckstr. 1, 55131, Mainz, Germany.
² Department of Cardiology, AHEPA University Hospital, Stilp. Kiriakidi 1, Thessaloniki 54637, Greece. Electronic address: ggiannakoulas@auth.gr.

Abstract

In this review, we discuss the evidence regarding the course and management of COVID-19 in patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), the challenges in PAH management during the pandemic and, lastly, the long-term complications of COVID-19 in relation to pulmonary vascular disease. The inherent PAH disease characteristics, as well as age, comorbidities, and the patient's functional status act synergistically to define the prognosis of COVID-19 in patients with PAH. Management of COVID-19 should follow the general guidelines, while PAH-targeted therapies should be continued. The pandemic has caused a shift toward telemedicine in the chronic care of patients with PAH. Whether COVID-19 could predispose to the development of chronic pulmonary hypertension is a subject of future investigation.

Keywords: COVID-19; PAH-targeted therapies; Pulmonary arterial hypertension; Pulmonary hypertension.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

COVID-19* / complications
Humans
Hypertension, Pulmonary* / etiology
Hypertension, Pulmonary* / therapy
Pandemics
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension* / etiology
Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension* / therapy
Telemedicine*