Hemodynamic effects of ambrisentan-tadalafil combination therapy on progressive portopulmonary hypertension

Intravenous epoprostenol is recommended for World Health Organization functional class (WHO-FC) IV patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in the latest guidelines. However, in portopulmonary hypertension (PoPH) patients, advanced liver dysfunction and/or thrombocytopenia often makes the use of intravenous epoprostenol challenging. Here we report the cases of two WHO-FC IV PoPH patients who were successfully treated with a combination of two oral vasodilators used to treat PAH: ambrisentan and tadalafil. Oral vasodilator therapy using a combination of ambrisentan and tadalafil may be a safe and effective therapeutic option for WHO-FC IV PoPH patients and should be considered for selected patients with severe and rapidly progressing PoPH.