Minoxidil

This document from 1980 discusses the use of minoxidil as a treatment for hypertension. The drug is found to be effective in controlling severe hypertension, but it also has a relatively high incidence of adverse effects, including hypertrichosis (hair growth), pericardial effusion, and changes in plasma and urine catecholamines and plasma renin activity. While the drug offers a potentially life-saving modality to some patients, it must be used with caution by those knowledgeable of its effects.