Prostaglandins are used for what purpose?

• A. Reducing pulmonary hypertension
• B. Maintaining of PDA (PGE-1)
• C. Increasing SVR
• D. Treating methemoglobinemia

Answer: (B)

Prostaglandin E1 (PGE1, alprostadil) is used to keep the ductus arteriosus open in newborns with ductus-dependent congenital heart lesions. By relaxing the smooth muscle of the ductus arteriosus, PGE1 prevents its normal postnatal closure, ensuring continued patency to sustain either systemic or pulmonary blood flow until surgical correction can be performed. That makes maintaining the PDA the correct purpose in this context. Other options don’t reflect this primary use: lowering pulmonary hypertension would involve different strategies to reduce pulmonary vascular resistance, increasing systemic vascular resistance isn’t the goal of PGE1 here, and methemoglobinemia is treated with methylene blue or similar agents, not prostaglandins.