Is there an alternative to intravenous Flolan or Remodulin?
Iloprost or Ventavis® is chemically related to Flolan and Remodulin and has been used in Europe for nearly 10 years. It was approved in the USA in 2005 for pulmonary hypertension therapy and is delivered by a special nebulizer and is given every 2 to 3 hours per day during the waking hours. Each nebulized treatment takes 8 to 10 minutes. Our early experience with Ventavis suggests that it is much easier to use at home for most families than Flolan or Remodulin but may not be as effective as the intravenous agents. A minority of patients have wheezing problems after inhalation, which may require asthma medication.
