A method for preventing or reducing pulmonary hypertension in a patient at risk of pulmonary hypertension which comprises administering to said patient an effective amount of a dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) derivative having the general formulas I or II or their pharmaceutically acceptable salts ##STR2## wherein R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, R.sup.11, R.sup.12, R.sup.13, R.sup.14 and R.sup.19 are independently H, --OH, halogen, C.sub.1-10 alkyl or C.sub.1-10 alkoxy;
- R.sup.5 is H, --OH, halogen, C.sub.1-10 alkyl, C.sub.1-10 alkoxy or OSO.sub.2 R.sup.20 ;
- R.sup.15 is
- (1) H, halogen, C.sub.1-10 alkyl or C.sub.1-10 alkoxy when R.sup.16 is --C(O)OR.sup.21 or
- (2) H, halogen, OH or C.sub.1-10 alkyl when R.sup.16 is H, halogen, OH or C.sub.1-10 alkyl or
- (3) H, halogen, C.sub.1-10 alkyl, C.sub.1-10 alkenyl, C.sub.1-10 alkynyl, formyl, C.sub.1-10 alkanoyl or epoxy when R.sup.16 is OH;
- or
- R.sup.15 and R.sup.16 taken together are .dbd.O;
- R.sup.17 and R.sup.18 are independently
- (1) H, --OH, halogen, C.sub.1-10 alkyl or C.sub.1-10 alkoxy when R.sup.16 is H, OH, C.sub.1-10 alkyl or --C(O)OR.sup.21 or
- (2) H, (C.sub.1-10 alkyl).sub.n amino, (C.sub.1-10 alkyl).sub.n amino-C.sub.1-10 alkyl, C.sub.1-10 alkoxy, hydroxy-C.sub.1-10 alkyl, C.sub.1-10 alkoxy-C.sub.1-10 alkyl, (halogen).sub.m -C.sub.1-10 alkyl, C.sub.1-10 alkanoyl, formyl, C.sub.1-10 carbalkoxy or C.sub.1-10 alkanoyloxy when R.sup.15 and R.sup.16 taken together are .dbd.O;
- or
- R.sup.17 and R.sup.18 taken together are .dbd.O or taken together with the carbon to which they are attached form a 3-6 member ring containing 0 or 1 oxygen atoms;
- or
- R.sup.15 and R.sup.17 taken together with the carbons to which they are attached form an epoxide ring;
- R.sup.20 is OH, pharmaceutically acceptable ester or pharmaceutically acceptable ether;
- R.sup.21 is H, (halogen).sub.m -C.sub.1-10 alkyl or C.sub.1-10 alkyl;
- n is 0, 1 or 2;
- and
- m is 1, 2 or 3,
- with the provisos that
- (a) R.sup.3 is not H, OH or halogen when R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.4, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, R.sup.12, R.sup.13, R.sup.14, R.sup.17 and R.sup.19 are H and R is OH or C.sub.1-10 alkoxy and R.sup.8 is H, OH or halogen and R.sup.11 is H or OH and R.sup.18 is H, halogen or methyl and R.sup.15 is H and R.sup.16 is OH;
- (b) R.sup.3 is not H, OH or halogen when R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.4, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, R.sup.12, R.sup.13, R.sup.14, R.sup.17 and R.sup.19 are H and R.sup.5 is OH or C.sub.1-10 alkoxy and R.sup.8 is H, OH or halogen and R.sup.11 is H or OH and R.sup.18 is H, halogen or methyl and R.sup.15 and R.sup.16 taken together are .dbd.O;
- (c) R.sup.5 is not H, halogen, C.sub.1-10 alkoxy or OSO.sub.2 R.sup.20 when R.sub.1, R.sub.2, R.sub.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, R.sup.12, R.sup.13, R.sup.14 and R.sup.17 are H and R.sup.11 is H, halogen, OH or C.sub.1-10 alkoxy and R.sup.18 is H or halogen and R.sup.15 and R.sup.16 taken together are .dbd.O;
- and
- (d) R.sup.5 is not H, halogen, C.sub.1-10 alkoxy or OSO.sub.2 R.sup.20 when R.sup.1, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4, R.sup.6, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.9, R.sup.10, R.sup.12, R.sup.13, R.sup.14 and R.sup.17 are H and R.sup.11 is H, halogen, OH or C.sub.1-10 alkoxy and R.sup.18 is H or halogen and R.sup.15 is H and R.sup.16 is H, OH or halogen.