title: Exanthematous drug eruption due to valsartan.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Valsartan is an angiotensin II receptor blocker (ARB) used for treatment of hypertension. The well-known adverse effects of valsartan are dizziness, headache and cough. Valsartan-related cutaneous side effects have been reported previously in a limited number of case reports.
  
  
  METHODS
  A 47-year-old man admitted with diffuse, itchy erythematous maculopapular eruption all over the body. He has been taking 160 mg valsartan daily for 10 days before onset of the eruption. On the third day of valsartan therapy, erythema had appeared over the face and spread throughout the whole body within a week. Histopathologic examination of the lesions showed lymphocyte exocytosis, spongiosis, necrotic keratinocytes in the epidermis, and mixed inflammatory cell infiltrates including perivascular eosinophils in the dermis. The patient was diagnosed as drug reaction due to valsartan with historical, clinical and histopathologic features.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Most common antihypertensive agents including diuretics, beta blockers, calcium-channel blockers, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors have many cutaneous side effects. However, there are a few reports about the cutaneous side effects of ARBs. Physicians should be aware of the cutaneous side effects of this commonly used agent and valsartan should be considered as a triggering factor of an exanthematous drug reactions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Dermatology and Venerology, Ege University Medical Faculty, Izmir, Turkey.
authors.forename: Gunseli
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ozturk
authors.forename: Bengu Gerceker
authors.initials: BG
authors.lastname: Turk
authors.forename: Bircan
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Senturk
authors.forename: Meltem
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Turkmen
authors.forename: Gulsen
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Kandiloglu
mesh_terms: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers / Q000009:adverse effects*; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D003875:Drug Eruptions / Q000209:etiology* / Q000473:pathology; D004890:Erythema / Q000139:chemically induced / Q000473:pathology; D005076:Exanthema / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013777:Tetrazoles / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014633:Valine / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D000068756:Valsartan
chemical_list: D047228:Angiotensin II Type 1 Receptor Blockers; D000959:Antihypertensive Agents; D013777:Tetrazoles; D000068756:Valsartan; D014633:Valine