Unmasking of neonatal renovascular hypertension by milrinone used for cardiac dysfunction

Pediatr Cardiol. 2011 Oct;32(7):998-1000. doi: 10.1007/s00246-011-0027-4. Epub 2011 Jun 9.

Abstract

A neonate initially presented with heart failure, with severe cardiac dysfunction confirmed by echocardiography, at 3 days of age. Blood pressure at presentation was in the high normal range. It was not until there was a rapid improvement of left-ventricular function on intravenous milrinone that the infant was noted to be hypertensive on day of life 7. It is noteworthy that milrinone, a drug with vasodilator and inotropic properties, paradoxically unmasked hypertension by rapidly improving left-ventricular function. Subsequent work-up showed the etiology of hypertension to be left renal artery stenosis. We present this case to alert clinicians to the rarer causes of left-ventricular dysfunction and to point out that its etiology, i.e., hypertension, may not be apparent until there is improvement in the systolic function of the left ventricle.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Angiography
  • Blood Pressure / drug effects
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Female
  • Follow-Up Studies
  • Humans
  • Hypertension, Renovascular / congenital
  • Hypertension, Renovascular / diagnosis
  • Hypertension, Renovascular / drug therapy*
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging
  • Milrinone / administration & dosage
  • Milrinone / therapeutic use*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Vasodilator Agents / administration & dosage
  • Vasodilator Agents / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Vasodilator Agents
  • Milrinone