Pericardial effusion associated with minoxidil therapy. [case reports]

Symptomatic pericardial effusion (PE) occured in two patients with chronic renal failure (CRF) who had taken minoxidal for control of their hypertension. One of them died from the effects of cardiogenic shock due to cardiac tamponade. This experience conforms with reports from elsewhere that minoxidil may cause PE. Therefore; patients with CRF who need minoxidil as an anti-hypertensive agent should be examined regularly for clinical evidence of PE