Mechanisms of Dexamethasone-Induced Hypertension

Title: Mechanisms of Dexamethasone-Induced Hypertension

Volume: 5 Issue: 1

Author(s): Sharon L.H. Ong, Yi Zhang and Judith A. Whitworth

Affiliation:

Keywords: Dexamethasone-induced hypertension, glucocorticoid, nitric oxide, oxidative stress, pathogenesis, reactive oxygen species

Abstract: Hypertension is a well-recognized complication of excess glucocorticoids, both naturally-occurring and synthetic. Dexamethasone is a potent synthetic glucocorticoid, which has widespread clinical applications. As dexamethasone has purely glucocorticoid activity with negligible mineralocorticoid effects, dexamethasone-induced hypertension (DEXHT) models have been used for studying the mechanisms of glucocorticoid-induced hypertension. This review examines the characteristics and mechanisms of DEX-HT, both in the human and experimental animal models. The roles of hemodynamics, volume, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, sympathetic nervous system, vasodilators including nitric oxide, vasoconstrictors and reactive oxygen species in the pathogenesis of DEX-HT are reviewed and differences from hypertension due to naturally occurring steroids discussed.

Cite this article as:

Ong L.H. Sharon, Zhang Yi and Whitworth A. Judith, Mechanisms of Dexamethasone-Induced Hypertension, Current Hypertension Reviews 2009; 5 (1) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/157340209787314315