PH Meds Flashcards
Differentiate dosing of the PDE5i
Tadalafil (adcirca) 20-40mg daily
t1/2 15-17 hours
Sildenafil 20-80mg TID
t1/2 4 hrs
Which classes of PH drugs work on NO pathway
(a) Mechanism of vasodilation
iNO pathway drugs
-PDE5 present in pulmonary vasculature to breakdown cGMP. So PDE5i reduce breakdown of cGMP => more cGMP => smooth muscle relaxation = vasodilation
-sGC agonist (riociguat) works slightly up-stream of PDE5i. Sensitizes soluble guanylate cyclate to NO and activates sGC (independently of NO) to increase cGMP production => smooth muscle relaxation = vasodilation
Drug-drug interactions to consider with PDE5i
PDE5i
-contraindicated with riociguat due to hypotension = category X
-consider not using with protease inhibitors (HIV patients) = category D
Adverse effects of PDE5i
Both sildenafil and tadalafil:
Common: headache, flushing, hypotension
Uncommon: hearing/vision loss (can be unilateral and irreversible)m epistaxis
Which PDE5i requires renal dose adjustment
Tadalafil requires renal dose adjustment, sildenafil does not
CrCl < 50 consider maxing out dose of tadalafil at 20mg daily or 40mg q48h
Compare PDEi onset of action and half-life
Both sildenafil and tadalafil onset of action ~60 minutes
Sildenafil t1/2- 4 hours
Tadalafil t1/2- 15-17 hours
Riociguat starting dose
Riociguat: starting dose generally 1 mg TID (or 0.5mg TID if c/f hypotension)
Riociguat max dose
(a) Uptitration schedule
Riociguat: starting dose generally 1 mg TID (or 0.5mg TID if c/f hypotension)
(a) Uptitrate by 0.5mg q2-4 weeks as BP tolerates to max 2.5mg TID
Contraindications to riociguat
Riociguat contraindications
-pregnancy
-concomitant use of PDE5i due to hypotension
-ILD-PH
2 FDA-approved indications for riociguat
Riociguat FDA-approved indications
- CTEPH
- Group I (idiopathic) PAH
How to cross-titrate PDE5i to riocguat for CTEPH
Riociguat is a better drug for CTEPH- so if on PDE5i then consider transition
Sildenafil stop 24 hrs, tadalafil stop 48 hrs before initiating riociguat (1 mg TID generally starting dose unless c/f hypotension 0.5mg TID)
Exact mechanism of adempas
Adempas = riociguat
soluble guanylate cyclase agonist
- stabilizes No-sGC binding to sensitize soluble guanylate cyclase to soluble NO
- independent of NO, directly stimulates soluble guanylate cyclase to make more cGMP
More cGMP => vasodilation
Compare mechanism of adempas and adcirca
iNO pathway drugs
-PDE5 present in pulmonary vasculature to breakdown cGMP. So PDE5i reduce breakdown of cGMP => more cGMP => smooth muscle relaxation = vasodilation
-sGC agonist (riociguat) works slightly up-stream of PDE5i. Sensitizes soluble guanylate cyclate to NO and activates sGC (independently of NO) to increase cGMP production => smooth muscle relaxation = vasodilation
Dosing algorithm for sildenafil
Initiate at 20mg TID, then increase (as BP tolerates) by 20mg q month to maximum 80mg TID
Side effects of ERAs
ERAs side effects (ambristentan, macitentan, bosentan)
-fluid retention = edema, swelling
-transaminitis: worst with bosentan so bosentan requires monthly LFTs
-anemia (~1 point drop in Hgb)
-upper respiratory infections: bronchitis, naso/pharyngitis
Compare dosing regimens for the 3 ERAs
ERA dosing
Ambrisentan- start 5mg daily, after a month increase to 10mg daily
Macitentan- 10mg daily
Bosentan- start 62.5mg BID, after a month increase to 125mg BID
Which ERAs has the most drug-drug interactions
Bosentan has the most DDIs