Antihypertensive medications and anemia.
Antihypertensive medication use can be associated with a reduction in hemoglobin concentration. The magnitude of such a change is generally small, but in certain instances it can be extreme enough to produce a clinically significant degree of anemia. The mechanistic basis for antihypertensive medication-related changes in hemoglobin concentration include hemodilution, hemolytic anemia, and suppression of red blood cell production, as this occurs most commonly with angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors and angiotensin receptor blockers. A reduction in hemoglobin concentration in a patient who is receiving treatment for hypertension and does not have an obvious source of blood loss should account for potential antihypertensive therapy involvement.
Sica
Domenic A
DA
Division of Nephrology, Virginia Commonwealth University Health System, Richmond, VA 23298-0160, USA. dsica@mcuh-vcu.edu
Mannino
Rosemarie
R
D000740:Anemia / Q000139:chemically induced*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000188:drug therapy; D016896:Treatment Outcome