Treatment of Pediatric Pulmonary Hypertension

Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is an increasingly recognized problem in children, particularly within tertiary pediatric hospitals. This increase is, in large part, due to ever improving survival among previously fatal conditions, such as extreme prematurity and complicated congenital heart disease. This increased recognition has paralleled burgeoning pharmacologic and interventional PH-specific treatment options. Unfortunately, most PH-specific therapies have not been tested in children with rigorous, randomized, controlled trials. As a result, most treatment of PH in children is based upon expert consensus and practitioners’ experience. In this article, we highlight some of the current and recent advances in therapies available for children with PH. The role that a Potts shunt may have in ameliorating severe PH in children is highlighted.