Abstract
In most instances, childhood hypertension does not have an identifiable cause aside from a clear association with obesity. In a small percentage of cases, a source of the hypertension can be identified. Common secondary causes of hypertension include kidney disease, renovascular disease, varied endocrine disorders, and drug-induced hypertension. Prescribed and over-the-counter medications, herbal supplements, and illicit substances have all been linked to hypertension. Hypertension induced by medications, herbal supplements, and illicit drugs should be considered in any child with new-onset hypertension or worsening control of existing hypertension, especially when the rise in blood pressure is abrupt and extreme. Fortunately, blood pressure typically returns to normal values soon after stopping the offending agent, and pharmacologic intervention is usually not required.
Keywords
- Hypertension
- Children
- Substance induced
- Stimulants
- Illicit drugs
- Club drugs
- NSAIDs
- Phenylephrine
- Pseudoephedrine
- Anti-VEGF
- Oral contraceptive pills
- Mercury toxicity
- Lead toxicity
- Herbal supplements
- Dextromethorphan
- New psychoactive substances
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution.
Buying options
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Learn about institutional subscriptionsReferences
Amsterdam EA, Wenger NK, Brindis RG, Casey DE Jr, Ganiats TG, Holmes DR Jr, Jaffe AS, Jneid H, Kelly RF, Kontos MC, Levine GN, Liebson PR, Mukherjee D, Peterson ED, Sabatine MS, Smalling RW, Zieman SJ (2014) 2014 AHA/ACC guideline for the management of patients with non-ST-elevation acute coronary syndromes: a report of the American College of Cardiology/American Heart Association Task Force on Practice Guidelines. J Am Coll Cardiol 64:e139–e228
ATSDR (2021) A. F. T. S. A. D. R. Mercury (Hg) CAS 7439-97-6; UN 2024 (liquid compounds) [online]. Available: https://www.atsdr.cdc.gov/mhmi/mmg46.pdf. Accessed 13 Sept 2021
Banerjee SP, Kung LS, Riggi SJ, Chanda SK (1977) Development of beta-adrenergic receptor subsensitivity by antidepressants. Nature 268:455–456
Benowitz NL, Sharp DS (1989) Inverse relation between serum cotinine concentration and blood pressure in cigarette smokers. Circulation 80:1309–1312
Bexis S, Docherty JR (2006) Effects of MDMA, MDA and MDEA on blood pressure, heart rate, locomotor activity and body temperature in the rat involve alpha-adrenoceptors. Br J Pharmacol 147:926–934
Bey T, Patel A (2007) Phencyclidine intoxication and adverse effects: a clinical and pharmacological review of an illicit drug. Cal J Emerg Med 8:9–14
Biederman J, Mick E, Surman C, Doyle R, Hammerness P, Harpold T, Dunkel S, Dougherty M, Aleardi M, Spencer T (2006) A randomized, placebo-controlled trial of OROS methylphenidate in adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder. Biol Psychiatry 59:829–835
Brannan EH, Su S, Alverson BK (2012) Elemental mercury poisoning presenting as hypertension in a young child. Pediatr Emerg Care 28:812–814
Cavarape A, Endlich K, Feletto F, Parekh N, Bartoli E, Steinhausen M (1998) Contribution of endothelin receptors in renal microvessels in acute cyclosporine-mediated vasoconstriction in rats. Kidney Int 53:963–969
Chasan-Taber L, Willett WC, Manson JE, Spiegelman D, Hunter DJ, Curhan G, Colditz GA, Stampfer MJ (1996) Prospective study of oral contraceptives and hypertension among women in the United States. Circulation 94:483–489
Conlin PR, Moore TJ, Swartz SL, Barr E, Gazdick L, Fletcher C, DeLucca P, Demopoulos L (2000) Effect of indomethacin on blood pressure lowering by captopril and losartan in hypertensive patients. Hypertension 36:461–465
Crookes DM, Demmer RT, Keyes KM, Koenen KC, Suglia SF (2018) Depressive symptoms, antidepressant use, and hypertension in young adulthood. Epidemiology 29:547–555
de la Torre R, Farre M, Roset PN, Lopez CH, Mas M, Ortuno J, Menoyo E, Pizarro N, Segura J, Cami J (2000) Pharmacology of MDMA in humans. Ann N Y Acad Sci 914:225–237
Du C, Park K, Allen CP, Hu XT, Volkow ND, Pan Y (2021) Ca(2+) channel blockade reduces cocaine’s vasoconstriction and neurotoxicity in the prefrontal cortex. Transl Psychiatry 11:459
Eccleston C, Cooper TE, Fisher E, Anderson B, Wilkinson NM (2017) Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) for chronic non-cancer pain in children and adolescents. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 8:CD012537
Eisenberg MJ, Mendelson J, Evans GT Jr, Jue J, Jones RT, Schiller NB (1993) Left ventricular function immediately after intravenous cocaine: a quantitative two-dimensional echocardiographic study. J Am Coll Cardiol 22:1581–1586
Federico SM, Caldwell KJ, McCarville MB, Daryani VM, Stewart CF, Mao S, Wu J, Davidoff AM, Santana VM, Furman WL, Pappo AS, Navid F (2020) Phase I expansion cohort to evaluate the combination of bevacizumab, sorafenib and low-dose cyclophosphamide in children and young adults with refractory or recurrent solid tumours. Eur J Cancer 132:35–42
Feighner JP (1995) Cardiovascular safety in depressed patients: focus on venlafaxine. J Clin Psychiatry 56:574–579
Flynn JT, Kaelber DC, Baker-Smith CM, Blowey D, Carroll AE, Daniels SR, de Ferranti SD, Dionne JM, Falkner B, Flinn SK, Gidding SS, Goodwin C, Leu MG, Powers ME, Rea C, Samuels J, Simasek M, Thaker VV, Urbina EM, Subcommittee on Screening and Management of High Blood Pressure in Children (2017) Clinical practice guideline for screening and management of high blood pressure in children and adolescents. Pediatrics 140:e20171904
Foy MC, Vaishnav J, Sperati CJ (2019) Drug-induced hypertension. Endocrinol Metab Clin N Am 48:859–873
Freese TE, Miotto K, Reback CJ (2002) The effects and consequences of selected club drugs. J Subst Abus Treat 23:151–156
Gale S, Wilson JC, Chia J, Trinh H, Tuckwell K, Collinson N, Dimonaco S, Jick S, Meier C, Mohan SV, Sarsour K (2018) Risk associated with cumulative oral glucocorticoid use in patients with giant cell arteritis in real-world databases from the USA and UK. Rheumatol Ther 5:327–340
Giribela CR, Consolim-Colombo FM, Nisenbaum MG, Moraes TL, Giribela AH, Baracat EC, Melo NR (2015) Effects of a combined oral contraceptive containing 20 mcg of ethinylestradiol and 3 mg of drospirenone on the blood pressure, renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system, insulin resistance, and androgenic profile of healthy young women. Gynecol Endocrinol 31:912–915
Givens ML, Wald R, Schafer J, Wians F Jr, Delaney K (2007) Prevalence of cocaine use in ED patients with severe hypertension. Am J Emerg Med 25:612–615
Gojowy D, Adamczak M, Dudzicz S, Gazda M, Karkoszka H, Wiecek A (2016) High frequency of arterial hypertension in patients after liver transplantation. Transplant Proc 48:1721–1724
Graham J, Banaschewski T, Buitelaar J, Coghill D, Danckaerts M, Dittmann RW, Dopfner M, Hamilton R, Hollis C, Holtmann M, Hulpke-Wette M, Lecendreux M, Rosenthal E, Rothenberger A, Santosh P, Sergeant J, Simonoff E, Sonuga-Barke E, Wong IC, Zuddas A, Steinhausen HC, Taylor E, European Guidelines Group (2011) European guidelines on managing adverse effects of medication for ADHD. Eur Child Adolesc Psychiatry 20:17–37
Gresnigt FMJ, Gubbels NP, Riezebos RK (2021) The current practice for cocaine-associated chest pain in the Netherlands. Toxicol Rep 8:23–27
Grzesk E, Malinowski B, Wicinski M, Szadujkis-Szadurska K, Sinjab TA, Manysiak S, Tejza B, Slupski M, Odrowaz-Sypniewska G, Grzesk G (2016) Cyclosporine-A, but not tacrolimus significantly increases reactivity of vascular smooth muscle cells. Pharmacol Rep 68:201–205
Gunaratne M, Thorsteinsdottir B, Garovic VD (2021) Combined oral contraceptive pill-induced hypertension and hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: shared mechanisms and clinical similarities. Curr Hypertens Rep 23:29
Hailpern SM, Egan BM, Lewis KD, Wagner C, Shattat GF, Al Qaoud DI, Shatat IF (2014) Blood pressure, heart rate, and CNS stimulant medication use in children with and without ADHD: analysis of NHANES data. Front Pediatr 2:100
Hatton RC, Winterstein AG, McKelvey RP, Shuster J, Hendeles L (2007) Efficacy and safety of oral phenylephrine: systematic review and meta-analysis. Ann Pharmacother 41:381–390
Hoffman RS (2020) Guidelines for chest pain and myocardial infarction: one size does not fit all [online]. Available: https://professional.heart.org/en/science-news/management-of-cocaine-associated-chest-pain-and-myocardial-infarction/Commentary. Accessed 5 Sept 2021
Hu H (1991) A 50-year follow-up of childhood plumbism. Hypertension, renal function, and hemoglobin levels among survivors. Am J Dis Child 145:681–687
Hysek C, Schmid Y, Rickli A, Simmler LD, Donzelli M, Grouzmann E, Liechti ME (2012) Carvedilol inhibits the cardiostimulant and thermogenic effects of MDMA in humans. Br J Pharmacol 166:2277–2288
Jurca SJ, Elliott WJ (2016) Common substances that may contribute to resistant hypertension, and recommendations for limiting their clinical effects. Curr Hypertens Rep 18:73
Kontak AC, Victor RG, Vongpatanasin W (2013) Dexmedetomidine as a novel countermeasure for cocaine-induced central sympathoexcitation in cocaine-addicted humans. Hypertension 61:388–394
Krist AH, Davidson KW, Mangione CM, Barry MJ, Cabana M, Caughey AB, Donahue K, Doubeni CA, Epling JW Jr, Kubik M, Ogedegbe G, Pbert L, Silverstein M, Simon MA, Tseng CW, Wong JB, US Preventive Services Task Force (2020) Primary care-based interventions to prevent illicit drug use in children, adolescents, and young adults: US Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. JAMA 323:2060–2066
Licht CM, de Geus EJ, Seldenrijk A, van Hout HP, Zitman FG, van Dyck R, Penninx BW (2009) Depression is associated with decreased blood pressure, but antidepressant use increases the risk for hypertension. Hypertension 53:631–638
Liechti ME (2017) Modern clinical research on LSD. Neuropsychopharmacology 42:2114–2127
Lo KB, Virk HUH, Lakhter V, Ram P, Gongora C, Pressman G, Figueredo V (2019) Clinical outcomes after treatment of cocaine-induced chest pain with beta-blockers: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Am J Med 132:505–509
Marumo T, Nakaki T, Hishikawa K, Suzuki H, Kato R, Saruta T (1995) Cyclosporin A inhibits nitric oxide synthase induction in vascular smooth muscle cells. Hypertension 25:764–768
McCord J, Jneid H, Hollander JE, de Lemos JA, Cercek B, Hsue P, Gibler WB, Ohman EM, Drew B, Philippides G, Newby LK, American Heart Association Acute Cardiac Care Committee of the Council on Clinical Cardiology (2008) Management of cocaine-associated chest pain and myocardial infarction: a scientific statement from the American Heart Association Acute Cardiac Care Committee of the Council on Clinical Cardiology. Circulation 117:1897–1907
Minzer S, Losno RA, Casas R (2020) The effect of alcohol on cardiovascular risk factors: is there new information? Nutrients 12:912
Mir D, Ardabilygazir A, Afshariyamchlou S, Sachmechi I (2018) Malignant hypertension in association with low estrogen dose oral contraceptives: case report and review of literature. Cureus 10:e2978
Moes AD, Hesselink DA, van den Meiracker AH, Zietse R, Hoorn EJ (2017) Chlorthalidone versus amlodipine for hypertension in kidney transplant recipients treated with tacrolimus: a randomized crossover trial. Am J Kidney Dis 69:796–804
Mohammed T, Singh M, Tiu JG, Kim AS (2021) Etiology and management of hypertension in patients with cancer. Cardiooncology 7:14
Moore N (2020) Coronary risks associated with diclofenac and other NSAIDs: an update. Drug Saf 43:301–318
Morgan JP (2020) In: Post TW (ed) Clinical manifestations, diagnosis, and management of the cardiovascular complications of cocaine abuse. UpToDate, Waltham
Mullen C, Whalley BJ, Schifano F, Baker JS (2020) Anabolic androgenic steroid abuse in the United Kingdom: an update. Br J Pharmacol 177:2180–2198
Naranjo VI, Hendricks M, Jones KS (2020) Lead toxicity in children: an unremitting public health problem. Pediatr Neurol 113:51–55
Nash D, Magder L, Lustberg M, Sherwin RW, Rubin RJ, Kaufmann RB, Silbergeld EK (2003) Blood lead, blood pressure, and hypertension in perimenopausal and postmenopausal women. JAMA 289:1523–1532
National Center for Health Statistics (2019) Health, United States, 2018 [online], Hyattsville. Available: https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/data/hus/hus18.pdf. Accessed 20 Sept 2021
NIDA (2020) Synthetic cathinones (“bath salts”) drug facts [online]. National Institute on Drug Abuse; National Institutes of Health; U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Available: https://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/drugfacts/synthetic-cathinones-bath-salts. Accessed 10 Sept 2021
NIDA (2021) Drugs of abuse [online]. Available: https://www.drugabuse.gov/drug-topics. Accessed 12 Sept 2021
Ori MR, Larsen JB, Shirazi FM (2018) Mercury poisoning in a toddler from home contamination due to skin-lightening cream. J Pediatr 196:314–317.e1
Padilha WSC, Annes M, Massant CG, Kaup AO, Affonso BB, Batista MC (2020) Cocaine-induced renal artery dissection as a cause of secondary hypertension: a rare presentation. Am J Case Rep 21:e921565
Papathanasiou G, Zerva E, Zacharis I, Papandreou M, Papageorgiou E, Tzima C, Georgakopoulos D, Evangelou A (2015) Association of high blood pressure with body mass index, smoking and physical activity in healthy young adults. Open Cardiovasc Med J 9:5–17
Patel S, Dushenkov A, Jungsuwadee P, Krishnaswami A, Barac A (2020) Team-based approach to management of hypertension associated with angiogenesis inhibitors. J Cardiovasc Transl Res 13:463–477
Peacock A, Bruno R, Gisev N, Degenhardt L, Hall W, Sedefov R, White J, Thomas KV, Farrell M, Griffiths P (2019) New psychoactive substances: challenges for drug surveillance, control, and public health responses. Lancet 394:1668–1684
Reed VA, Buitelaar JK, Anand E, Day KA, Treuer T, Upadhyaya HP, Coghill DR, Kryzhanovskaya LA, Savill NC (2016) The safety of atomoxetine for the treatment of children and adolescents with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder: a comprehensive review of over a decade of research. CNS Drugs 30:603–628
Robert N, Wong GW, Wright JM (2010) Effect of cyclosporine on blood pressure. Cochrane Database Syst Rev 20:CD007893
Rodriguez-Guerra M, Yadav M, Bhandari M, Sinha A, Bella JN, Sklyar E (2021) Sibutramine as a cause of sudden cardiac death. Case Rep Cardiol 2021:8896932
Roerecke M, Kaczorowski J, Tobe SW, Gmel G, Hasan OSM, Rehm J (2017) The effect of a reduction in alcohol consumption on blood pressure: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Lancet Public Health 2:e108–e120
Ruschitzka F, Borer JS, Krum H, Flammer AJ, Yeomans ND, Libby P, Luscher TF, Solomon DH, Husni ME, Graham DY, Davey DA, Wisniewski LM, Menon V, Fayyad R, Beckerman B, Iorga D, Lincoff AM, Nissen SE (2017) Differential blood pressure effects of ibuprofen, naproxen, and celecoxib in patients with arthritis: the PRECISION-ABPM (Prospective Randomized Evaluation of Celecoxib Integrated Safety versus Ibuprofen or Naproxen Ambulatory Blood Pressure Measurement) trial. Eur Heart J 38:3282–3292
Salerno SM, Jackson JL, Berbano EP (2005) Effect of oral pseudoephedrine on blood pressure and heart rate: a meta-analysis. Arch Intern Med 165:1686–1694
Samuels JA, Franco K, Wan F, Sorof JM (2006) Effect of stimulants on 24-h ambulatory blood pressure in children with ADHD: a double-blind, randomized, cross-over trial. Pediatr Nephrol 21:92–95
Sanders AP, Mazzella MJ, Malin AJ, Hair GM, Busgang SA, Saland JM, Curtin P (2019) Combined exposure to lead, cadmium, mercury, and arsenic and kidney health in adolescents age 12–19 in NHANES 2009–2014. Environ Int 131:104993
Savoca MR, MacKey ML, Evans CD, Wilson M, Ludwig DA, Harshfield GA (2005) Association of ambulatory blood pressure and dietary caffeine in adolescents. Am J Hypertens 18:116–120
Schwartz RH, Einhorn A (1986) PCP intoxication in seven young children. Pediatr Emerg Care 2:238–241
Secemsky E, Lange D, Waters DD, Goldschlager NF, Hsue PY (2011) Hemodynamic and arrhythmogenic effects of cocaine in hypertensive individuals. J Clin Hypertens 13:744–749
Shafi A, Berry AJ, Sumnall H, Wood DM, Tracy DK (2020) New psychoactive substances: a review and updates. Ther Adv Psychopharmacol 10:2045125320967197
Shannon M, Lacouture PG, Roa J, Woolf A (1989) Cocaine exposure among children seen at a pediatric hospital. Pediatrics 83:337–342
Sivalokanathan S, Malek LA, Malhotra A (2021) The cardiac effects of performance-enhancing medications: caffeine vs. anabolic androgenic steroids. Diagnostics 11(2):324
Snowden S, Nelson R (2011) The effects of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs on blood pressure in hypertensive patients. Cardiol Rev 19:184–191
Spina E, Trifiro G, Caraci F (2012) Clinically significant drug interactions with newer antidepressants. CNS Drugs 26:39–67
Svatikova A, Covassin N, Somers KR, Somers KV, Soucek F, Kara T, Bukartyk J (2015) A randomized trial of cardiovascular responses to energy drink consumption in healthy adults. JAMA 314:2079–2082
Tellez-Plaza M, Navas-Acien A, Crainiceanu CM, Guallar E (2008) Cadmium exposure and hypertension in the 1999–2004 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). Environ Health Perspect 116:51–56
Tsatsakis A, Docea AO, Calina D, Tsarouhas K, Zamfira LM, Mitrut R, Sharifi-Rad J, Kovatsi L, Siokas V, Dardiotis E, Drakoulis N, Lazopoulos G, Tsitsimpikou C, Mitsias P, Neagu M (2019) A mechanistic and pathophysiological approach for stroke associated with drugs of abuse. J Clin Med 8:1295
Tsoi MF, Lo CWH, Cheung TT, Cheung BMY (2021) Blood lead level and risk of hypertension in the United States National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2016. Sci Rep 11:3010
Turnbull D, Rodricks JV, Mariano GF, Chowdhury F (2017) Caffeine and cardiovascular health. Regul Toxicol Pharmacol 89:165–185
van Rijswijk CW, Kneyber MC, Plotz FB (2006) Accidental ecstasy intoxication in an 8-month-old infant. Intensive Care Med 32:632–633
Vernacchio L, Kelly JP, Kaufman DW, Mitchell AA (2009) Medication use among children <12 years of age in the United States: results from the Slone Survey. Pediatrics 124:446–454
Versmissen J, Mirabito Colafella KM, Koolen SLW, Danser AHJ (2019) Vascular cardio-oncology: vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitors and hypertension. Cardiovasc Res 115:904–914
Vora CK, Mansoor GA (2005) Herbs and alternative therapies: relevance to hypertension and cardiovascular diseases. Curr Hypertens Rep 7:275–280
White WB (2007) Cardiovascular effects of the cyclooxygenase inhibitors. Hypertension 49:408–418
Williams JF, Lundahl LH (2019) Focus on adolescent use of club drugs and “other” substances. Pediatr Clin N Am 66:1121–1134
Wong PHB, Harnett JE, Clases D, Wheate NJ (2021) An analysis for adulteration and contamination of over-the-counter weight-loss products. AAPS PharmSciTech 22:78
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Section Editor information
Rights and permissions
Copyright information
© 2023 Springer Nature Switzerland AG
About this entry
Cite this entry
Riar, S.K., Blowey, D.L. (2023). Medication and Substance-Induced Hypertension: Mechanisms and Management. In: Flynn, J.T., Ingelfinger, J.R., Brady, T.M. (eds) Pediatric Hypertension. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-06231-5_50
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-06231-5_50
Published:
Publisher Name: Springer, Cham
Print ISBN: 978-3-031-06230-8
Online ISBN: 978-3-031-06231-5
eBook Packages: MedicineReference Module Medicine