[Minoxidil treatment of refractory arterial hypertension following a kidney transplant].

Twenty-two patients with a functioning renal graft and in whom hypertension was resistant to conventional drug treatment were treated with minoxidil. After eight days of treatment, mean blood pressure falls significantly (p less than 0.001) - from 180/115 to 147/89 mm Hg supine and from 156/104 to 136/87 mm Hg standing. A supine diastolic blood pressure less than or equal to 100 mm Hg is obtained in 82% of the patients. Efficacy and side-effects of minoxidil were analyzed in 12 patients after a 6 months' treatment. Mean blood pressure and response rate to therapy remain similar to those observed at 8 days. Body weight, heart rate, and serum creatinine values are unchanged compared to preminoxidil values. Hirsutism develops in all subjects, limiting the use of minoxidil in female patients. We conclude that minoxidil is an effective treatment of resistant post-transplant hypertension. In our series no major side effect is observed except for hirsutism.