United Therapeutics’ fourth-quarter earnings nearly doubled with more people getting prescriptions for its cardiopulmonary drugs.

Net income for the Silver Spring-based drug company totaled $83.3 million, or $1.60 per share, compared to $43.2 million, or 77 cents per share, in the prior-year period.

Subtracting one-time and special charges, Adjusted earnings per share totaled $2.42, easily outpacing analysts’ average forecasts of $1.28 per share, according to FactSet.

Revenue rose to $243.8 million, beating analyst expectations by almost $10 million.

The company reported rising sales for three drugs that treat pulmonary arterial hypertension, or high blood pressure in the lungs: Remodulin sales increased by more than 8 percent; Tyvaso by 33 percent; and Adcirca by 69 percent.

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