Epoprostenol therapy for primary pulmonary hypertension.

Although a rare disease, PPH is deadly. Until recently, patients had little hope for remission of this disease. Originally viewed as a "bridge to transplantation," new research findings suggest that epoprostenol significantly improves PPH so that transplantation may not be necessary. Treatment with epoprostenol is difficult to manage, however, because it requires continuous central infusion. Nurses have a key role in ensuring that patients safely and effectively manage this therapy.