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CLINICAL ASPECTS OF BLOOD PRESSURE CRISIS DUE TO WITHDRAWAL OF CENTRALLY ACTING ANTIHYPERTENSIVE DRUGS
Author(s) -
HANSSON L.
Publication year - 1983
Publication title -
british journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.216
H-Index - 146
eISSN - 1365-2125
pISSN - 0306-5251
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2125.1983.tb00315.x
Subject(s) - clonidine , labetalol , blood pressure , medicine , headaches , antihypertensive drug , nausea , drug withdrawal , anesthesia , pharmacology , drug , surgery
1 Sudden cessation of antihypertensive therapy, in particular centrally acting drugs such as clonidine, may cause a withdrawal syndrome characterised by a rapid increase in blood pressure, headaches, tremor, restlessness and nausea. 2 The withdrawal syndrome is associated with a marked increase in sympathetic activity, as indicated by the increased levels of urinary and plasma catecholamines. 3 The clonidine withdrawal syndrome is reproducible. 4 The crisis can be managed acutely either by reinstituting the drug which has been withdrawn or by giving α‐ and β‐adrenoceptor blocking drugs, either separately or in the form of labetalol. 5 The withdrawal syndrome can now be reproduced in animal models, but in spite of extensive studies, the exact underlying mechanism remains to be elucidated.