Minoxidil in Refractory Hypertension

This paper from 1975 describes the successful use of minoxidil, a new vasodilator, to treat a 10-year-old girl with life-threatening hypertension following a renal transplant. The girl's blood pressure remained controlled and the renal transplant functioned well during 9 months of minoxidil therapy, with no serious side effects except for moderate hypertrichosis. The paper suggests that minoxidil can be used to control refractory, life-threatening hypertension in children. The report also discusses the pharmacologic properties of minoxidil and its effectiveness in reducing blood pressure in animals and humans.