Pleuropericardial effusion associated with minoxidil administration.

Introduction Minoxidil is a powerful vasodilator hypotensive drug which has been used extensively to control blood pressure in patients with renal failure. Pericardial effusions are associated with minoxidil therapy (Marquez-Julio and Uldall, 1977). In cases where the protein content of the effusion has been examined in patients-some on dialysis-(Martin, Spodick and Zins, 1980; Houston, McChesney and Chatterjee, 1981) it has usually been in excess of 3 g/dl although the effusion has often been attributed to the haemodynamic effect of the drug and its tendency to cause fluid retention. The patient reported here developed a pericardial effusion with a high protein content and also pleural effusions. It is suggested that mechanisms other than fluid overload and uraemia may have a role in minoxidil related effusions.