Edema pulmonar agudo por hidroclorotiazida: una reacción adversa poco conocida / Hydrochlorothiazide-induced acute pulmonary edema: a rare adverse reaction

In Chile, hydrochlorothiazide is frequently prescribed as first line antihypertensive therapy. Among it’s well known adverse reactions are: electrolytic disorders, hyperuricemia, dyslipidemia, agranulocytosis and azotemia. Acute pulmonary edema is a rare and potentially lethal adverse effect. Only 50 cases have been reported since 1968. In this article, we discuss a case of a 70 year old woman who, one hour after the ingestion of hydrochlorotiazide, presented acute and progressive dyspnea. Her clinical and radiologic findings are compatible with non-cardiogenic acute pulmonary edema.

En Chile, la hidroclorotiazida se utiliza ampliamente como terapia de primera línea en la hipertensión arterial esencial. Entre los efectos adversos más conocidos destacan: trastornos hidroelectrolíticos, hiperuricemia, dislipidemia, azotemia, entre otros. El edema pulmonar agudo es un efecto adverso infrecuente y potencialmente grave. Desde 1968, se han reportado 50 casos clínicos en la literatura. En este artículo presentamos el caso clínico de una mujer de 70 años atendida en el Hospital Santiago Oriente quien, una hora posterior a la ingesta de hidroclorotiazida, presenta disnea aguda progresiva. El estudio clínico y radiológico es compatible con edema pulmonar agudo no cardiogénico.

Ergotamine-Induced Upper Extremity Ischemia: A Case Report

Ergotamine-induced limb ischemia is an extremely rare case. We present a case of a 64-year-old man, who developed ischemia on the right upper extremity due to long-term use of Ergot for migraine headache. Angiography revealed diffused, smooth, and tapered narrowing of the brachial artery. The patient was successfully treated with intravenous nitroprusside.

Evaluation of the Release Behavior of the Dexamethasone Embedded in Polycarbonate Polyurethane Membranes: An In Vitro Study

PURPOSE: To evaluate the release behavior of dexamethasone embedded in a polycarbonate polyurethane membrane. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Both water-soluble and water-insoluble dexamethasone were tested, and the release behavior of five water-insoluble dexamethasone films of different thickness (78 to 211 micrometer) was also evaluated. The amount of Dexamethasone used was 10% of the total weight of the polyurethane film mass. Each film was placed in a centrifuge tube containing 25 ml of 0.1-M neutral phosphate buffer, and the tubes were placed in a shaking incubator to quantify the amount of drug released into the buffer, absorption spectroscopy (lambda max=242 nm) was employed. RESULTS: In the test involving water-soluble dexamethasone, 60% of the drug was released during the first two hours of the study. Films containing water-insoluble Dexamethasone, on the other hand, released 40%, 60% and 75% of the dexamethasone in one, three and seven days, respectively. Both types of film maintained low-dose drug release for 28 days. When release behavior was compared between water-insoluble films of different thickness, thicker film showed less initial burst and more sustained release. CONCLUSION: Dexamethasone release behavior varies according to drug solubility and membrane thickness, and may thus be conrolled.