SERIES 'HIGHUGHTS ON PULMONARY HYPERTENSION' Edited by T. Higenbottam and R. Rodriguez-Roisin

of Brussels, Belgium. ~CT: A moderate pulmonary hypertension is a hallmark of experimental, as well as clinical, acute bmg irijury. Pulmonary hypertension in acute lung irijury, appears to be caused primarily by a partially reversible increase in e.\1ra·alveolar · vascular clooing pres-sure, the latter being modulated by vasodilating products of tbe cyclooxygenase pathway of arachidonic acid metnbolism, as well as by an endogenous release of nitric oxide. Gas exchange in acute ltmg injury is improved by increased pulmonary vascular tone. However it is also improved by inhaled nitric oxide, wbicb inc ~ perfusion to the better aerated lung ar-eas. Whether phanuacological interventions ainu~d at the prevention of right ventriculw · fuilure in acute lung injury impro\-e right ventrirub-v-.l'iCUiar coupling bllfficiently to exert a favourable influence on outcome, remains to be shown