Korean Journal of Psychopharmacology  2001;12(1):82-86

A Case of Low dose Venlafaxine-Induced Hypertension.

Myong Su CHOI 1 ; Sang Keun CHUNG

Affiliations

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Keywords

Venlafaxine; Hypertension; Side effect

Country

Republic of Korea

Language

Korean

Abstract

Venlafaxine has a dose-dependant effect on blood pressure that is clinically significant at high dose. But the cases of hypertension associated with low dose venlafaxine have been rarely reported. We experienced a case of low dose venlafaxine-induced hypertension in a 53 year-old woman with major depressive disorder who has never been diagnosed as hypertension and other medical diseases. We started venlafaxine administration at a dose of 37.5 mg/day, and on the first day of venlafaxine administration, her blood pressure was abruptly elevated. Regardless of hypertension, venlafaxine was adjusted up to 112.5 mg/day for her depressive symptoms. Hypertension was continued, but not controlled by antihypertensive medication. We thought that she had a venlafaxine-induced hypertension, so we stopped this medication. Elevated blood pressure was normalized 2 days after stopping venlafaxine administration. Her blood pressure has been within normal range without antihypertensive medication for 9 months. So we report this case with the review of the literatures on the venlafaxine-induced hypertension.