The interaction between drugs in the treatment of pulmonary hypertension is a complex task that must be carried out by physicians and the patient themselves.
By: isbelia farias
Over the years, treatment for pulmonary hypertension it has become more complex, especially due to the increase in pharmacotherapeutic options and the survival of patients with greater comorbidities.
For this reason, researchers from the University of California have published in the scientific journal ‘CHEST’ their article ‘Drug-Drug Interaction in the Management of Patients With Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension’, in which they detail the possible interactions between the treatments of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and other diseases.
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration Medicines The FDA has approved 14 drugs for the pulmonary hypertension. Fortunately, this disease no longer has a grim prognosis, but instead contemplates several main avenues of treatment and the possibility of having a better quality of life. Therefore, doctors now find patients with other conditions, so they must take into account the adverse effects that derive from the mixture of different drugs.
Teamwork is needed
To avoid drug interactions, it is necessary to carry out teamwork, with doctors, nurses and pharmacists, in which the patient is included.
Before making a change in treatment, the researchers encourage reviewing the medication for the other conditions, for which the medical history can be very useful, since the “electronic medical record can be used to create alerts of possible interactions.”
Finally, it is the same patients who must also protect themselves, reminding their doctors what the usual medication is, especially when they are going to be prescribed a new drug.
Members of the medical team “must be aware of interactions with medicines commonly prescribed and over-the-counter drugs used to manage side effects, such as antacids or decongestants,” the researchers explain in this review of drug interactions. “With diligence on all sides, drug interactions can be minimized,” the researchers conclude. .
Fuente: here