Can a drug against diarrhoea be used to treat pulmonary hypertension?

Clinical evaluation of a novel combination therapy for pulmonary hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension is a rare but serious condition in which high blood pressure in the arteries of the lungs results in narrowing of these blood vessels. Patients can have a poor quality of life and are at risk of developing heart failure because the heart has to work hard to pump against the high blood pressure in the lungs. Sildenafil (Viagra) is a medicine that helps reduce blood vessel narrowing in the lungs by relaxing the vessels, but the effect on the lungs may only be small. This London research team is testing a new treatment for pulmonary hypertension. They will give a small group of patients a medicine called racecadotril in addition to the standard treatment of sildenafil. Racecadotril, traditionally a treatment for diarrhoea, prevents the breakdown of a hormone called natriuretic peptide - lowering blood pressure in the lungs. Harnessing the body’s natural blood pressure controls could be a better way to treat this serious condition.