Increased pulmonary vascular resistance with systemic hypertension. Effect of minoxidil and other antihypertensive agents

James M Atkins, Helen C. Mitchell, William A. Pettinger

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57 Scopus citations

Abstract

Recent case reports suggest that pulmonary hypertension could be caused by minoxidil, a new potent vasodilating antihypertensive drug. Therefore, we evaluated the incidence and severity of pulmonary hypertension in 110 patients with systemic hypertension. Fourteen patients were treated with minoxidil for 2 to 35 months (mean 19.9 months), 15 were treated with no drugs, and the remaining 81 patients received conventional antihypertensive agents of several types. Pulmonary vascular resistance correlated positively (P < 0.05) with systemic vascular resistance. Minoxidil-treated patients with hypertension previously refractory to conventional therapy had slightly lower pulmonary vascular resistance than other hypertensive subjects. There was no correlation between pulmonary vascular resistance and duration of minoxidil therapy or other types of antihypertensive regimens. The positive correlation between pulmonary and systemic vascular resistance suggests the possibility of a causal hypertensive relation in the two vascular beds.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)802-807
Number of pages6
JournalThe American journal of cardiology
Volume39
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - 1977

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine

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