The Annals of pharmacotherapy
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Review Case Reports
Benzocaine-induced methemoglobinemia: report of a severe reaction and review of the literature.
To report a case of benzocaine-induced inethemoglobinemia and present a review of the related literature. ⋯ Because of the potential for severe complications, methemoglobinemia should be corrected promptly in compromised patients and those with toxic benzocaine concentrations. The possibility of masking symptoms during general anesthesia carries special risk of use of this agent in the preanesthesia setting.
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To review the existing data on the use of diuretics or beta-blockers as first-line therapy for the treatment of mild to moderate hypertension, and to examine the issues surrounding the impact of these classes as well as the angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitors, calcium-channel blockers (CCBs), alpha-blockers, and alpha-beta-blockers on cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. ⋯ Diuretics and beta-blockers can effectively reduce cerebrovascular morbidity and mortality, but have a limited effect on reducing cardiovascular disease, especially myocardial infarction. This may be explained, at least in part, by the negative, or lack of positive, effect on individual patients' overall cardiovascular risk status.