Angina-Like Syndrome with Diazoxide Therapy for Hypertensive Crisis

Abstract

In 14 patients with hypertensive crisis treated with diazoxide, close monitoring of blood pressure, heart rate, and symptoms was performed. Standard 12-lead electrocardiograms were recorded before and after diazoxide. All patients showed a significant fall in blood pressure after drug administration. Seven patients (50%) showed significant ST-T changes after diazoxide. Six patients (43%) developed substernal discomfort demonstrated by substernal pain of tightness. Five patients (35%) had both chest discomfort and ST-T changes. One of these patients with substernal pain and ST elevation had evidence of acute myocardial infarction with serial enzyme studies. In the patients with significant ST-T changes, the average fall in blood pressure was significantly greater than the average fall in blood pressure in the patients without significant ST-T changes. These findings suggest that both ST-T changes and substernal discomfort were due to myocardial ischemia secondary to a sudden severe drop in blood pressure.