Step 1: In duct-dependent congenital heart disease the ductus arteriosus must be kept open until definitive treatment. This is achieved with prostaglandin E1 (PGE-1) analogues, which relax ductal smooth muscle and maintain patency.
Step 2: Among the options, misoprostol is a prostaglandin E1 analogue and is the agent used to keep the duct open, so option b is correct. Alprostadil is the other classic PGE-1 agent used for the same purpose.
Step 3: The opposite clinical goal, closure of a persistently patent duct in a preterm infant, is achieved with prostaglandin inhibitors such as indomethacin or ibuprofen, not with prostaglandin analogues.
Step 4: Anaprostone and danaprostone are not standard agents for this indication, and PGE-2 is not the analogue used to maintain ductal patency, so they are incorrect.