Sodium retention minoxidil

Minoxidil is a more potent vasodilator than hydralazine, and the compensatory increases in heart rate, cardiac output, renin release, and sodium retention are more dramatic. Severe sodium and water retention may precipitate congestive heart failure. Minoxidil also causes reversible hyper-... 

Even more than with hydralazine, the use of minoxidil is associated with reflex sympathetic stimulation and sodium and fluid retention. Minoxidil must be used in combination with a B-blocker and a loop diuretic. 

Hydralazine may cause a dose-related, reversible lupus-like syndrome, which is more common in slow acetylators. Lupus-like reactions can usually be avoided by using total daily doses of less than 200 mg. Other hydralazine side effects include dermatitis, drug fever, peripheral neuropathy, hepatitis, and vascular headaches. For these reasons, hydralazine has limited usefulness in the treatment of hypertension. However, it may be useful in patients with severe chronic kidney disease and in kidney failure. Minoxidil is a more potent vasodilator than hydralazine, and the compensatory increases in heart rate, cardiac output, renin release, and sodium retention are more dramatic. Severe sodium and water retention may precipitate congestive heart failure. Minoxidil also causes reversible hyper-... 

Minoxidil is a peripheral vasodilator that directly relaxes vascular smooth musculature, thus, lowering systolic and diastolic pressure. Its action is linked to the activation of calcium channels. Open calcium channels cause hyperpolarization of smooth muscle cells, which in turn, reduces the flow of calcium ions into the cell, which is necessary for supporting vascular tonicity. However, when taking minoxidil, tachycardia, elevated renin secretion, and water and sodium ion retention all appear simultaneously with hypotension. Because of potentially serious side effects, it is used only for severe hypertension that does not respond to treatment with other drugs, and absolutely in combination with two other antihypertensive drugs. A synonym of this drug is loniten. 

NITRATES ANALGESICS-NSAIDS Hypotensive effects of hydralazine, minoxidil and nitroprusside antagonized by NSAIDs NSAIDs cause sodium and water retention in the kidney and can raise BP due to 1 production of vasodilating renal prostaglandins Monitor BP at least weekly until stable... 

Minoxidil acts as a direct vasodilator of vascular smooth muscle which decreases peripheral vascular resistance and blood pressure. Veins are affected to a lesser extent than arterioles. The resulting hypotensive effect induces a reflex increase in heart rate, cardiac output, and stroke volume. Sodium and water retention also occur leading to edema plasma renin activity is increased. 

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