Clinical and haemodynamic effects of sildenafil in pulmonary hypertension: acute and mid-term effects.

Aim: The treatment of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension remains a challenge. We set out to investigate the use of sildenafil, a selective inhibitor of phosphodiesterase type 5, in patients with this disease.

Methods And Results: Ten patients (8 females, mean age 34.

Role of magnetic resonance angiography in the diagnosis of major aortopulmonary collateral arteries and partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage.

Background: Accurate diagnosis of major aortopulmonary collaterals (MAPCAs) and partial anomalous pulmonary venous drainage (PAPVD) in adult patients with congenital heart disease is important but problematic. Three-dimensional contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) provides a minimally invasive technique to allow detailed studies in a single breath-hold.

Methods And Results: We assessed the role of contrast-enhanced 3D MRA in 29 consecutive adult patients with a diagnosis of MAPCAs (n=16) or PAPVD (n=13) made by echocardiogram, cardiac catheterization, or surgical inspection.