Drug-Induced Edema

Drug-induced edema is caused by many drugs & can coincide with or worsen pre-existing peripheral edema

Tissue edema develops due to one or more of the following:

 - Increased vascular permeability

 - Increased hydrostatic pressure

 - Decreased oncotic pressure in the blood vessels

Drug-induced alteration to vascular permeability can occur via numerous mechanisms, some of which include:

 - Bradykinin (has a very potent effect on blood vessels, leading to  vascular permeability)

 - Histamine release from mast cells

 - Increased nitric oxide release

 - Activation of the complement cascade 



By Dr. Kathryn Watson @Kat_Watson



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