Expired CME Article
Secondary Hypertension due to Drugs and Toxins
Abstract
This review summarizes the current state of knowledge about drugs, other chemical substances, and toxins on blood pressure. Many classes of drugs, such as steroids, sympathomimetic amines, immunosuppressive agents, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agents, antidepressants, erythropoietin, substances of abuse and other agents can induce transient or sustained hypertension, exacerbate well-controlled hypertension, antagonize the effects of antihypertensive therapy, or precipitate hypertensive emergencies. Heightened awareness on the part of the physician is important to avoid unnecessary tests in search for other etiologies, and to reduce antihypertensive medication prescriptions by eliminating contributing agents whenever possible. These agents represent an important modifiable cause of secondary or resistant hypertension.
Key Points
* Certain drugs, herbal preparations and environmental toxins are important and modifiable causes of hypertension, sometimes contributing to hypertensive emergencies.
* These agents can induce transient or sustained hypertension, exacerbate well-controlled hypertension, or antagonize the effects of antihypertensive therapy.
* Heightened awareness on the part of the treating physician is important to avoid unnecessary and expensive testing.
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