Heart Disease Medication to Treat Lung Disease

A common heart disease medication, beta blockers, may help treat pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a debilitating lung disease. PAH is a progressive disease caused by high blood pressure in the pulmonary arteries. It usually leads to right-sided heart failure and death within five to seven years of diagnosis. Right-sided heart failure is the leading cause of death in PAH patients. Carvedilol is safe to use in PAH patients for six months with evidence of improved outcomes that could prevent right-sided heart failure.