Class: Direct Vasodilators
VA Class: CV490
CAS Number: 38304-91-5
Warning
Risk of developing potentially serious cardiac effects. (See Cardiovascular Effects under Cautions.) Pericardial effusion, progressing to tamponade may occur and angina pectoris may be exacerbated. Reserve for hypertensive patients who do not respond to maximum therapeutic doses of a diuretic and 2 other antihypertensive agents.
In animal studies, minoxidil caused myocardial lesions and other adverse cardiac effects.
Administer under close supervision, usually concomitantly with a β-adrenergic blocking agent (β-blocker) and a diuretic, usually a loop diuretic, to prevent adverse effects.
Hospitalize and monitor patients with malignant hypertension or those already receiving concomitant guanethidine therapy to prevent too rapid or severe orthostatic decreases in BP.
Introduction
Vasodilating agent.
Uses for Minoxidil (Systemic)
Hypertension
Management of severe symptomatic hypertension or hypertension associated with end-organ damage in patients with uncontrolled hypertension not manageable with maximal therapeutic dosages of a diuretic and 2 other antihypertensive agents.
Not recommended for mild or moderate hypertension or severe hypertension controllable with other drugs.
Not for initial management of hypertension according to current guidelines for the management of hypertension in adults, but may be used as add-on therapy if BP not adequately controlled with the recommended antihypertensive drug classes (i.e., ACE inhibitors, angiotensin II receptor antagonists, calcium-channel blockers, thiazide diuretics).
May be used in combination with other antihypertensive therapies (e.g., a diuretic and a β-blocker, an ACE inhibitor, a calcium-channel blocking agent, and/or an angiotensin II receptor antagonist).
Individualize choice of therapy...
