Therapy for chronic thromboembolism [Therapie der chronischen Thromboembolie]

Chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) is a frequent cause of pulmonary hypertension, however, it still is underdiagnosed. Up to 4% of all individuals that survive pulmonary embolism develop CTEPH. Increasing insights into the pathophysiology of CTEPH indicate a distinct overlap with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). Pulmonary endarterectomy (PEA), which lowers pulmonary resistance and can lead to normalization of hemodynamics, is the treatment of choice for eligible patients, however, only a proportion of patients fulfill the criteria for surgical intervention. Patients who are not eligible for PEA may benefit from specific medical therapy for pulmonary hypertension, as do patients before and after PEA with significant peripheral involvement of the pulmonary vasculature. Direct evidence from clinical trials in CTEPH is promising, but is to date limited. Further studies are necessary to define criteria for specific medical therapy for CTEPH. © Springer Medizin Verlag 2006.