How Do High Blood Pressure Medications Cause Photosensitivity?
Other People Are Reading
-
Drugs Causing Photosensitivity
-
There are several classes of drugs commonly proscribed for heart patients with can trigger photosensitivity.
Antiarrhythmics are drugs that are used to treat a improper rhythm in the heart, called arrhythmias. Symptoms of arrhythmias include irregular or skipped heartbeats, palpitations, shortness of breath, light-headedness, fainting or pains in the chest.
Among the drugs commonly proscribed for arrhythmias are Amiodarone (Cordarone) and Quinidine (Quinidex), both of which have been linked to photosensitivity.
Diuretics are another class of drug commonly prescribed to reduce blood pressure in hypertensives. These drugs work by preventing salt from being reabsorbed by the distal tubules, reducing the salt concentration in the body. This causes water and salt to be excreted. Reduced fluid levels correlate with lower blood pressure. Thiazides also expand the blood vessels, further reducing blood pressure.
Several classes of diuretics have been linked to photosensitivity, chiefly the thiazide and sulfoamides. Brand names include:
Apo-Chlorthalidone (chlorthalidone); Apo-Furosemide (furosemide); Apo-Hydro (hydrochlorothiazide); Aquatensen (methyclothiazide); Bumex (bumetanide); Delone (furosemide); (Demadex (torsemide); Diucardin (hydroflumethiazide); Diuchlor H (hydrochlorothiazide); Diulo (metolazone); Diuril (chlorothiazide); Duretic (methyclothiazide); Edecrin (ethacrynic acid); Enduron (methyclothiazide); Esidrix (hydrochlorothiazide); Furoside (furosemide); Hydro-chlor (hydrochlorothiazide); Hydro-D (hydrochlorothiazide); HydroDIURIL (hydrochlorothiazide); Hydromox (quinethazone); Hygroton (chlorthalidone); Lasix (furosemide); Metahydrin (trichlormethiazide); Microzide (hydrochlorothiazide); Monopril-HCT (Hydrochlorothiazide and Fosinopril); Mykrox (metolazone); Myrosemide (furosemide); Naqua (trichlormethiazide); Naturetin (bendroflumethiazide); Neo-Codema (hydrochlorothiazide); Novo-Hydrazide (hydrochlorothiazide); Novo-Thalidone (chlorthalidone); Oretic (hydrochlorothiazide); Renese (polythiazide); Saluron (hydroflumethiazide); Thalitone (chlorthalidone); Trichlorex (trichlormethiazide); Uridon (chlorthalidone); Uritol (furosemide); Urozide (hydrochlorothiazide) and Zaroxolyn (metolazone).
Mechanism of Photosensitivity
-
UV wavelengths of light, present in sunlight, can break down or modify large organic molecules such as those found in drugs. When this breakdown occurs, new molecules may be formed, and free radicals may be liberated. Free radicals are small molecules with an affinity to bond to other molecules.
These free radicals may form a hapten, which is a small molecule that can attach itself to a larger protein. When this attachment takes place, the resulting molecule may trigger a response from the immune system.
The immune system response can present itself as an allergic reaction in the body, with a resulting skin irritation or rash.
-
Treatment
-
The irritation is treated topically as any other skin irritation or rash.
This condition will normally disappear when the drug treatment stops, although there are reports of reactions that persist even after halting treatment.
-
