Reasons for refusing parenteral therapy: a qualitative study of patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

While parenteral prostacyclin (pPCY) therapy, delivered either subcutaneously or intravenously, is recommended for pulmonary arterial hypertension patients with severe or rapidly developing disease, some patients refuse this treatment. This study aimed to understand, directly from patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension, why pPCY was refused and, in some cases, later accepted. Interviews were conducted with 25 pulmonary arterial hypertension patients who previously refused pPCY therapy (Group A: Refused/Never initiated (n = 9) and Group B: Refused/Initiated (n = 16)).