INTRAPULMONARY SHUNTING IN PRIMARY PULMONARY-HYPERTENSION - AN OBSERVATION IN 2 PATIENTS TREATED WITH EPOPROSTENOL SODIUM

Continuous intravenous infusion of epoprostenol sodium in selected pat ients with primary pulmonary hypertension improves symptoms and surviv al. This report describes two patients with primary pulmonary hyperten sion treated with epoprostenol in whom intrapulmonary shunting and sev ere hypoxemia occurred. Intrapulmonary shunting was confirmed by contr ast echocardiography showing delayed appearance of bubbles in the left cardiac chambers after peripheral venous injection of agitated saline solution.