Limitations of the pulmonary arterial hypertension hypoxia model
There are some limitations to the human hypoxia model for investigating
pulmonary arterial hypertension that must be carefully addressed. Whilst
arterial hypoxia and increased pulmonary vascular resistance can be
effectively modelled, other disease characteristics are less
reproducible. The duration of the experimental hypoxic exposition will
not be long enough to induce relevant pulmonary remodelling in healthy
participants. Trials should therefore aim to investigate acute responses
in the vasculature liker oxygen metabolism, and the hypoxia-induced
inflammation and fibrosis. Furthermore, pulmonary arterial hypertension
related comorbidities should be carefully considered. Patients with
chronic pulmonary arterial hypertension may develop right heart
insufficiency, which proceeds to alter the physiology of the whole
cardio-circulatory system. Healthy participants will maintain right
heart function with higher cardiac outputs than pulmonary arterial
hypertension patients.