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What is Ventavis?

Ventavis is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with certain kinds of severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH)*, a condition in which blood pressure is too high in the blood vessels between the heart and the lungs. Ventavis may improve your ability to exercise and your symptoms for a short time by lowering your blood pressure and opening up the blood vessels in your lungs.

  • In the key clinical study, Ventavis showed clinical improvement as defined by 3 specific measurements: ability to exercise as measured by the 6-minute walk test, symptoms (NYHA Functional Class), and decrease in the worsening of PAH* symptoms.1
  • Ventavis is a medication you breathe in through a special device called the I-neb Adaptive Aerosol Delivery (AAD) System.

The study showing Ventavis is effective included mainly patients with NYHA Functional Class III-IV PAH*. In these patients, PAH* was caused by unidentified or hereditary factors (65%) or connective tissue diseases (23%).

Ventavis has not been studied in children younger than 18 years old.

How is Ventavis taken?

Ventavis is inhaled through a special system called the I-neb AAD System, which is compact, portable, and lightweight. The I-neb AAD System is small—about the size of a box of kitchen matches—and it has an internal rechargeable battery like a cell phone, so you can take your medication almost anywhere at any time. Ventavis should be inhaled as your doctor prescribes, usually 6-9 times a day, but not more often than every 2 hours.1

How can Ventavis help?

The benefits of Ventavis therapy†‡:

  • Ventavis is an inhaled PAH* therapy that can be given alone to help patients improve their PAH* symptoms and walk farther. It can also be safely used with many other drugs.
  • Patients felt better doing ordinary physical activities and improved their NYHA Functional Class.1
  • Patients were able to walk farther in a timed test.1
  • Ventavis decreased the worsening of PAH* symptoms.1

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†AIR Study: In a study of 146 patients with NYHA Class III or IV PAH, researchers compared 2 groups of patients for 12 weeks: 1 group received Ventavis inhaled 6 to 9 times per day, while the other group inhaled placebo (no active medicine). About 5 times as many patients taking Ventavis had clinical improvement compared to those who took placebo during the study (19% vs. 4%).1

‡Individual patient results may vary.

*Patient Indication and Important Safety Information

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*What is Ventavis?

Ventavis is a prescription medicine used to treat adults with certain kinds of severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), a condition in which blood pressure is too high in the blood vessels between the heart and the lungs. Ventavis may improve your ability to exercise and your symptoms for a short time by lowering your blood pressure and opening up the blood vessels in your lungs.

  • In the key clinical study, Ventavis showed clinical improvement as defined by 3 specific measurements: ability to exercise as measured by the 6-minute walk test, symptoms (NYHA Functional Class), and decrease in the worsening of PAH symptoms.
  • Ventavis is a medication you breathe in through a special device called the I-neb Adaptive Aerosol Delivery (AAD) System.

The study showing Ventavis is effective included mainly patients with NYHA Functional Class III-IV PAH. In these patients, PAH was caused by unidentified or hereditary factors (65%) or connective tissue diseases (23%).

Ventavis has not been studied in children younger than 18 years old.

What is the most important information I should know about Ventavis?

Ventavis may not be right for you. Before taking Ventavis, tell your doctor about all of your medical conditions, including if you have liver or kidney problems; are pregnant, or plan to become pregnant; or are breast-feeding. Tell your doctor about all the medicines you take, including prescription and nonprescription medicines, vitamins, and herbal supplements. Especially tell your doctor if you take medicines used to treat high blood pressure or heart problems or medicines that lessen blood clotting (warfarin, Coumadin, Jantoven). Ventavis and other medicines may affect each other, causing side effects.

What are the possible side effects of Ventavis?

  • Ventavis may cause side effects, including feeling dizzy, lightheaded, and faint. If you have any of these side effects, you should stand up slowly when you get out of chairs or bed. Tell your doctor if your fainting gets worse during treatment with Ventavis. Your doctor may need to change your dose or treatment.
  • Do not drive a car or operate any tools or machines if dizziness or fainting from low blood pressure is a problem for you.
  • You may have trouble breathing after taking Ventavis, because it may cause the muscles around your airway to tighten (bronchospasm). Get emergency help right away if you have trouble breathing.
  • The most common side effects of Ventavis include red face (flushing), increased cough, low blood pressure, headaches, nausea, spasm of your jaw muscles that makes it hard to open your mouth, and fainting.

Talk to your doctor if you have any side effect that bothers you or that does not go away. These are not all the possible side effects of Ventavis. For more information, ask your doctor or pharmacist.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Please see full Prescribing Information

For more information about Ventavis, please call 1-866-ACTELION (1-866-228-3546).