Oral Minoxidil in the Treatment of Hypertensive Crisis

This paper reports on a case study of a 15-year-old girl with malignant hypertension who failed to respond to high doses of sodium nitroprusside but had a rapid lowering of blood pressure following oral administration of minoxidil, an experimental vasodilator used principally for the control of chronic refractory hypertension. The study suggests that minoxidil may be a safe and effective alternative to parenteral drug therapy for the treatment of malignant hypertension. The paper also notes that undesirable side effects of minoxidil, such as increased facial hair and fluid retention, can be averted by attempting to convert rapidly to conventional therapy once blood pressure is controlled.