Minoxidil and the Treatment of Severe Hypertension

The article discusses the use of minoxidil for the treatment of severe hypertension. Minoxidil is effective in lowering blood pressure, but can cause unwanted side effects such as increased hair growth, particularly in women. Some patients have found the excess hair growth so objectionable that they have discontinued use of minoxidil. Unfortunately, this problem is so great that two patients died of hypertensive renal complications within four months of discontinuing minoxidil, which had previously controlled their severe hypertension very well. There have also been several case reports of pulmonary hypertension in minoxidil-treated patients. Renal disease can progress in some minoxidil-treated patients whose blood pressure is controlled and kept at 100 mm Hg or less. Further investigations are necessary to establish the role of the drug in patients with less severe hypertension.