Despite historical use, the role of anticoagulant therapy in the management of pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) remains uncertain, as existing epidemiologic studies have produced conflicting results.
The goal of a study whose findings were published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology on September 30, 2025, was to examine the association between anticoagulant therapy and survival in pulmonary arterial hypertension. The analysis of a large French registry (1,597 pulmonary arterial hypertension patients, 2009-2020) found no survival benefit from anticoagulant therapy in pulmonary arterial hypertension. Median survival was essentially identical between patients receiving anticoagulants (5.62 years) and those not receiving them (5.37 years). An updated meta-analysis confirmed these findings across all pulmonary arterial hypertension subtypes, including idiopathic/heritable pulmonary arterial hypertension and connective tissue disease-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension.
The authors conclude that anticoagulants don’t improve survival in pulmonary arterial hypertension, though randomized controlled trials are still needed for definitive evidence.
Read more at this link on the Journal of the American College of Cardiology
Citation
Bertoletti L, Escal J, Boucly A, Turquier S, Jevnikar M, Lamblin N, Bezzeghoud S, Chapelle C, Delavenne X, Savale L, Humbert M, Montani D, Sitbon O, Jais X. Association Between Anticoagulant Therapy and Survival in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension: A Registry Report and Updated Meta-Analysis. J Am Coll Cardiol. 2025 Sep 30;86(13):982-995. doi: 10.1016/j.jacc.2025.07.026. PMID: 40992823.
