Effect of heart rate reduction in pulmonary arterial hypertension

Yaolita et al discuss the study conducted by Gomez et al, reporting that heart rate (HR) reduction, but not adrenergic receptor blockade, is involved in the beneficial effects of carvedilol to improve biventricular dysfunction in monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH) rats. They showed that not only carvedilol but also ivabradine, a selective inhibitor of sinoatrial current, improved biventricular dysfunction, although PAP and the Fulton ratio were unaltered with these drugs in PH rats. Furthermore, the authors showed that both carvedilol and ivabradine improved the parameters of RV and LV contractility and relaxation.